Harold S. Kushner (1935-2023) was a Conservative Jewish rabbi and scholar with a background in theology and pastoral care, and is best known for writing When Bad Things Happen to Good People, a book that aims to help people cope with undeserved misfortune. He wrote the book as a way of coming to terms with own experience with tragedy when his young son, Aaron, was diagnosed with progeria, a rare genetic condition that causes accelerated aging and premature death. Kushner's reflections on his grief are deeply personal, and he openly grapples with classical questions of theodicy: namely, the question of how a benevolent God could allow suffering to exist in the world. He acknowledges that even the community members who seek his guidance have asked him this question in various forms, and with his writing, he draws upon his rabbinical background to frame answers to these spiritual questions and appeal to readers who hold a Judeo-Christian perspective. Kushner’s ideas are also influenced by modern psychology and ethical philosophy, and he uses these disciplines to create practical interpretations of biblical texts and adopt a compassionate stance toward the inevitability of human suffering.