20th anniversary sequel to a seminal book of the Jewish renewal movement. Deals with spirituality in relation to personal growth, marriage, ecology, feminism, politics and more. Outlines original ways to merge “religious” life and “personal” life today.
In 1980, Sholom Groesberg changed his life's course. He resigned as dean of engineering at Widener University in order to pursue a career in the rabbinate. Accepted at the Academy for Jewish Religion, he was ordained in 1984. Ten years later Rabbi Groesberg encountered the Jewish Renewal movement Its approach to creating an authentic identity within the context of living as a Jew resonated strongly within him. He became an ardent adherent of the movement. Jewish Renewed: A Journey is a combination academic study and personal memoir written for the educated lay reader. It traces the movement's history, explicates its ideology and practices, and examines the future challenges facing the movement Among others, this book will interest: History buffs*****Educators*****Spiritual seekers*****Environmentalists Alienated Jews seeking a "home"*****Practitioners in the helping professions This book will also appeal to those of a philosophical bent searching for answers to questions of Ultimate Concern; answers that invest our lives with meaning Why bother to be Jewish? Can secularism and religiosity be bridged? Why do new religious movements survive-or fail? Are the Kabbalah's teachings relevant to contemporary times? How can a modernist Jew conceptualize the significance of God?
How does the story of the Exodus echo in our own generation and in our own lives? "For us to hear the Oneness of God, we must grow into a place where the cosmic and the political are deeply the same truth." —from Part V The story Jews retell on Passover is about rising up against tyranny, about the triumph of the God who sides with the despised against a resplendent emperor. Exploring how this tale applies to our own time enriches the ancient account—and it expands and transforms the community for which Exodus is a collective family story. Exodus is not only the saga of the escape from slavery, but also a story of courage, celebration, rebirth and community from which people of all faith traditions have learned and can continue to learn. Calling us to relearn and rethink the Passover story, Rabbi Arthur O. Waskow and Rabbi Phyllis O. Berman share: The enduring spiritual resonance of the Hebrews' journey for our own time Social justice, ecological and feminist perspectives on the Exodus How the Passover story has been adapted and used by African American as well as Christian and Muslim communities to provide insight and inspiration. With contributions by Dr. Vincent Harding: “Exodus in African America: A Great Camp Meeting” Dr. S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana: “Exodus in the Qur’an: Mercy, Compassion, and Forgiveness” Ched Myers and Russell Powell: “Exodus in the Life and Death of Jesus”
A number of times over the years I have mentioned to Rabbi Steinsaltz that in his lectures, interviews, and writings, there are always such wonderful 'gems' embedded within the transcripts and essays, and I find myself repeating these 'gems' to people. 'Perhaps not gems,' he responds. 'Maybe pebbles.'"—From the Introduction Internationally acclaimed Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz is considered to be one of the most brilliant and influential rabbis of our time. He has been lauded by Time magazine as a "once-in-a-millennium scholar" and by Ted Koppel of Nightline as "one of the very few wise men that I've ever met." Arthur Kurzweil—himself a Jewish scholar, author, teacher, publisher, and a longtime disciple of Rabbi Steinsaltz—has gathered in one place a collection of "pebbles" of wisdom from Rabbi Steinsaltz. This wonderful book is filled with wisdom from more than thirty years of Rabbi Steinsaltz's lectures, writings, interviews, conversations, and reflections. Pebbles of Wisdom includes Rabbi Steinsaltz's thoughts on the big topics of life including the meaning of happiness, the search for the purpose of one's life, the point of suffering, discovering oneself, dangers along the spiritual path, the process of transforming oneself, and the challenges of faith.
Can the teachings of Judaism provide a sacred framework for repairing the world? In this groundbreaking volume, leading rabbis, intellectuals, and activists explore the relationship between Judaism and social justice, drawing on ancient and modern sources of wisdom. The contributors argue that American Jewry must move beyond “mitzvah days” and other occasional service programs, and dedicate itself to systemic change in the United States, Israel, and throughout the world. These provocative essays concentrate on specific justice issues such as eradicating war, global warming, health care, gay rights and domestic violence, offering practical ways to transform theory into practice, and ideas into advocacy. Rich and passionate, these expressions will inspire you to consider your obligations as a Jew, as an American and as a global citizen, while challenging you to take thoughtful and effective action in the world. Contributors: Martha Ackelsberg, PhD • Rabbi Rebecca Alpert, PhD • Diane Balser, PhD • Jeremy Benstein, PhD • Rabbi Phyllis Berman • Ellen Bernstein • Marla Brettschneider, PhD • Rabbi Sharon Brous • Aryeh Cohen, PhD • Stephen P. Cohen, PhD • Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff, PhD • Aaron Dorfman • Jacob Feinspan • Rabbi Marla Feldman • Sandra M. Fox, LCSW • Julia Greenberg • Mark Hanis • Rabbi Jill Jacobs • Rabbi Jane Kanarek, PhD • Rabbi Elliot Rose Kukla • Joshua Seth Ladon • Arieh Lebowitz • Rabbi Michael Lerner, PhD • Shaul Magid, PhD • Rabbi Natan Margalit, PhD • Ruth Messinger • Jay Michaelson • Rabbi Micha Odenheimer • Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner • Judith Plaskow, PhD • Judith Rosenbaum, PhD • April Rosenblum • Adam Rubin, PhD • Danya Ruttenberg • Rabbi David Saperstein • Joel Schalit • Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, PhD • Martin I. Seltman, MD • Dara Silverman • Daniel Sokatch • Shana Starobin • Naomi Tucker • Abigail Uhrman • Rabbi Arthur Waskow, PhD • Rabbi Melissa Weintraub
The Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path of Transformation for the Modern Jew contains millennia of sage advice in an easy-to-read step-by-step process for recapturing your Jewish spirituality
Coincidence can color our experiences in ways that cannot be predicted. When the ordinary becomes the extraordinary, it transforms commonplace happenings and gives them new signifi cance and wonder. For half a century, Rabbi David H. Chanofsky has witnessed these transformative miracles, and here, he shares some of his favorite memories and lessons. He shares tales from his years of fighting anti-Semitism in America and of his efforts to defend the rights of Jews everywhere. Through the prism of humor and pathos as they relate to Jewish life, his experiences seek to inspire thought, laughter, tears, and debate. Is there such a thing as conservative and reform Judaism? How does Judaism view intermarriage? Why do so many people feel alone in a crowded synagogue? Is there a solution? What happens when religion and politics intersect in Israel? Who are your Jewish superheroes? The rabbi's early experiences gave him a lifelong commitment to Jewish survival and a zealous love of the United States. Judaism is central to his insights, and he approaches these issues with strong, often controversial points of view that he hopes will challenge your perceptions.
In short, I believe, a little bit of religion is a good thing whether or not you fully embrace the idea of God. I believe that Judaism should accept this approach and help its adherents translate their deep, inherent religious needs with the symbols and practices of our ancient tradition. Judaism understands that not only does it have to adapt as part of its cultural dance, but it also has to choose and to create in order to complete its mission: to help modern Jews, the children of Spinoza, and the disciples of Einstein, to stay on course, to see the poetry written into the cosmos, and to help one another on the road to contentment with kindness, with concern and with love. Every once in a while, somebody comes to me and says: “Rabbi, I’m so glad I’m Jewish.” “Rabbi, I’m lucky. I have what I need. I have what I want.” And I smile and count my blessings, too.
With his engaging overview of the sacred times, places and ideas of Judaism, Rabbi Marc Angel gently reclaims the natural, balanced and insightful teachings of Sephardic Judaism that can and should imbue modern Jewish spirituality, drawing on classic sources from the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry and the great mystics of Safed.
Where Judaism and health intersect, healing may begin. Essential reading for people interested in the Jewish healing, spirituality and spiritual direction movements, this groundbreaking volume explores the Jewish tradition for comfort in times of illness and Judaism’s perspectives on the inevitable suffering with which we live. Pushing the boundaries of Jewish knowledge, scholars, teachers, artists and activists examine the aspects of our mortality and the important distinctions between curing and healing. Topics discussed include: The Importance of the Individual Health and Healing among the Mystics Hope and the Hebrew Bible From Disability to Enablement Overcoming Stigma Jewish Bioethics Drawing from literature, personal experience, and the foundational texts of Judaism, these celebrated thinkers show us that healing is an idea that can both soften us so that we are open to inspiration as well as toughen us—like good scar tissue—in order to live with the consequences of being human.
An engaging and sobering look at memorializing in Judaism and why memory—ours and God's—is so central to people. Through a series of lively introductions and commentaries, over thirty contributors—men and women, scholars, rabbis, theologians and poets, representing all Jewish denominations—examine the history and ideas behind Yizkor, the Jewish memorial service, and this fascinating chapter in Jewish piety. Featuring the traditional prayers—provided in the original Hebrew and a new and annotated translation—this fourth volume in the Prayers of Awe series explores the profound theological questions at the core of this service and our own humanity: What happens to us after we die? Is there really an afterlife? Does our fate after death depend on the goodness with which we have pursued our earthly life? And more. Prayers of Awe: A multi-volume series designed to explore the High Holy Day liturgy and enrich the praying experience for everyone—whether experienced worshipers or guests who encounter Jewish prayer for the very first time. Contributors: Yoram Bitton Dr. Annette M. Boeckler Dr. Marc Zvi Brettler Rabbi Lawrence A. Englander, CM, DHL Rabbi Edward Feinstein Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof, PhD (z"l) Dr. Eric L. Friedland Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand Rabbi Edwin Goldberg, DHL Rabbi Andrew Goldstein, PhD Dr. Joel M. Hoffman Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD Rabbi Walter Homolka, PhD, DHL Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar Rabbi Daniel Landes Catherine Madsen Rabbi Jonathan Magonet, PhD Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD Rabbi Charles H. Middleburgh, PhD Rabbi Jay Henry Moses Rabbi Aaron D. Panken, PhD Rabbi Jakob J. Petuchowski, PhD (z”l) Rabbi Jack Riemer Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso Rabbi David Stern Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig, DD Dr. Ron Wolfson Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel Dr. Wendy Zierler
“. . . a rare jewel, a powerhouse of spiritual wisdom that you can read and reread.”—Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. author of A Woman’s Journey to God and Seven Paths to God “[Open Secrets] invites us into the most intimate of settings, the whispered wisdom passed from an authentic Hasidic master to his student. It radiates warmth, passion for the divine, and earthy confidence in sacredness. A treasure for the spiritual seeker of any tradition.” —Judith Simmer-Brown, Naropa University, author of Dakini’s Warm Breath “Open Secrets is my favorite way to introduce readers to the essence and depth of Judaism.”—Bo Lozoff, author and founder of the Human Kindness Foundation “A master teacher.”—Thomas Keating "A prophetic voice for a 21st-century Judaism”—Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi The fictional East European Hasidic Master Reb Yerachmeil writes to his hasid Herschel who has moved to America, in response to his student’s perennial questions about God, what it means to be Jewish, whether all religions are true, about death, the soul, good deeds, intermarriage and more. The rebbe writes, “My Judaism seeks only the heart of the teaching and the essence of the practice and leaves the details to others.” At the urging of his own rebbe, Shapiro, through these letters, creates a “. . . a Judaism for people who wish to learn from it as they do from Buddhism or Sufism, a Judaism for everyone.” Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro is regarded as one of the most creative voices in contemporary American Judaism. He is an award-winning poet and essayist, and his liturgies are used in prayer services throughout North America. His previous books include Minyan: 10 Principles for Living a Life of Integrity and The Way of Solomon: Finding Joy and Contentment in the Wisdom of Ecclesiastes.
Techniques explained by the masters—for today’s spiritual seeker Meditation is designed to give you direct access to the spiritual. Whether it’s through deep breathing during a busy day, listening to the quiet after turning off the car radio, chanting in prayer, or ten minutes of visualization exercises each morning, meditation takes many forms. But it is always a personal method of centering our spiritual self. Meditation has long been practiced in the Jewish community as a powerful tool to transcend words, personality, and ego and to directly experience the divine. Inspiring yet practical, this introduction to meditation from a Jewish perspective approaches it in a new and illuminating way: As it is personally practiced by today’s most experienced Jewish meditators from around the world. A “how to” guide for both beginning and experienced meditators, Meditation from the Heart of Judaism will help you start meditating or help you enhance your practice. Meditation is a Jewish spiritual resource for today that can benefit people of all faiths and backgrounds—and help us add spiritual energy to our lives. Contributors include:
Delve deeper into spiritual practice to find the power and meaning waiting there for you. “Spiritual practice reveals that the Garden of Eden is right where you are standing and helps you to be here, now. Therefore, Jewish spiritual practices cultivate joy, hope, resilience and understanding so that you can undertake your soul’s work in this lifetime with vision, passion and integrity.” from the Introduction This innovative guidebook makes accessible Judaism’s spiritual pathways, principles and applications, and empowers you to test their value within your own life. Each chapter provides step-by-step, recipe-like guides to a particular Jewish practice or group of practices, gives examples of how they might unfold inside your life, and shows how each can help refuel your spirit throughout the day. You’ll discover: Prayer practices for embracing the body and creation with awe, limbering up your mind, and preparing for compassionate action How to draw sustenance from the Great Mystery, the inexplicable and unknowable Source of Life How to mine the Torah’s stories, commentaries, symbols and metaphors for meaning Ways to develop your Hebrew vocabulary so you can formulate your own interpretations of sacred text How to explore and practice mitzvot as meaningful, compelling parts of your spiritual life How to view the Jewish people as a precious human resource and as a model for resilience ... and much, much more.
Modernity has provided more than enough reason to give up believing in holiness, still we have learned that to give up the struggle to achieve it means that we become less human. As we leave the twentieth century, we discover new reasons to return to old faith. We rediscover an urgent need to defend the sacred, even as our understanding differs from our ancestors. We choose not to retreat from the world, but to struggle within it, to stain ourselves with sin even as we seek to establish the good. —from Chapter 13, “Humanity” The cataclysm of the Holocaust seems to forbid speech. Yet even in the heart of that darkness, sparks of sacredness were kept alive. From these sparks, Rabbi Edward Feld suggests, Jews and others can renew a faith and find a language that recovers the holy even after experiencing the reign of a Kingdom of Night unimaginable to previous generations. In a voice that is engaging, often poetic, Rabbi Edward Feld helps the modern reader understand events that span almost 4,000 years of the history of Judaism and the Jewish people. With rare clarity, insight, and gentleness, he offers a thought-provoking yet accessible study of the way tragedy has shaped Jewish history and the self-understanding of Jews. The Spirit of Renewal explores four key events that reshaped religious expression, two ancient and two modern: the Babylonian exile; the Bar Kochba revolution; the Holocaust; and the establishment of the State of Israel. The Spirit of Renewal shows how, even under the most traumatic of circumstances, Judaism survives, renewing itself and flourishing again. This profound and wise meditation opens the way to a powerful new understanding of the nature of God and the spiritual life.
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook was one of the outstanding rabbinic figures of the twentieth century. Chief Rabbi of Palestine until his death in 1935, he served as a reconciling force between many battling factions and separated ideologies in the early days of the Zionist movement. Rabbi Kook had a unique ability, through his warmth, compassion, and deep sense of humanness, to make harmony out of seemingly irreconcilable differences. One of the many remarkable things about Rabbi Kook was his close friendship with non-Orthodox communities, including young secular Zionist pioneers and struggling, idealistic kibbutz founders. His sense of Klal Yisrael (the fellowship of Jews) transcended ideological boundaries. The sainted teacher’s poetry and prayers are recited today in synagogues of all shades of opinion throughout America. A mystic, philosopher, and deeply religious spirit of the modern age, Rabbi Kook’s best known saying is “We must renew the old and sanctify the new.” This, in essence, sums up his approach to the creative melding of past, present, and future. Young and old alike will delight in this enthralling life of one who was scholarly and pious in unusual proportions, yet constantly active in the daily personal, social, and political problems of the first half of the twentieth century.
Breathe New Life into Your Prayer with the Wisdom of Kabbalah and the Hasidic Masters Jewish mystics teach that every word a person utters in prayer should radiate light. Even the letters of the words of prayer carry sparks of the Divine that yearn to join together in holiness. In this inspiring spiritual companion, Reform rabbi Lawrence Kushner and Orthodox rabbi Nehemia Polen join together to provide a window into the liturgy for people of all backgrounds by offering fresh insights and meditations that bring the traditional prayerbook to life. Drawing from the Torah, Zohar, and ancient and contemporary Hasidic masters, Kushner and Polen reflect on the joy, gratitude, compassion, mystery, and awe embedded in traditional prayers and blessings, and show how you can imbue these familiar sacred words with your own sense of holiness. Insightful, fresh, and wise, Filling Words with Light will enrich your understanding of the prayer book and guide you on how to put more of yourself into the holy words of the Jewish tradition.
Wake up your Jewish spiritual life and restore your soul. “Has your heart ever been broken—by loss, divorce, disappointment, awe, fear, hope? Have you multitasked, worked past the level of your endurance, accumulated possessions, jumped the hurdles, and gotten the grades only to wonder, “Is that all there is?” Do you wish for a life that is physically grounded, emotionally satisfying, intellectually expansive, and profoundly connected? These are the qualities Judaism can provide when you understand how to practice it.” —from the Introduction This inspiring guidebook is your wake-up call for understanding the powerful intellectual and emotional tools that are essential for a lively, relevant, and fulfilling Jewish spiritual practice. Designed to become a lifelong resource for holy days and Shabbat, it presents Judaism as an evolving tradition in which you are the entrusted heir. The exercises and practices draw from the foundations of Judaism and empower you to create meaningful, satisfying, contemporary Jewish experiences for how you live today.
While most people were enjoying well-deserved retirement, at age seventy-three, author Rabbi Corinne Copnick began her six-year course of study and was ordained rabbi at the age of seventy-nine. The ordination was the beginning of a new adventure; she's had an unconventional "pulpit." In A Rabbi at Sea, Rabbi Copnick narrates the stories of her travel experiences as a guest rabbi on cruise ships. On every journey and in every country visited, she uncovered, discovered, and explored Jewish life-from Hawaii to Australia, the Mediterranean, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and everywhere in between. Offering a global perspective, she presents a host of insights about the culture and the people she encountered throughout her travels. A Rabbi at Sea shares Rabbi Copnick's anecdotal exploration of the tapestry of world Jewry in fascinating locales around the world. It offers a treasure trove of her reflections on history, spirituality, and humanity.
A treasury of insight from one of the most creative spiritual thinkers in America. Whether you are new to Kushner or a devoted fan, this is the place to begin. At once deeply human and profoundly spiritual, Lawrence Kushner’s books are a treat for the soul. For nourishment and inspiration— Eyes Remade for Wonder opens wide the gates of Jewish mysticism and spirituality, helping us peel back the layers of meaning that animate our lives. Few writers are more closely identified with the boom of spirituality in America in the past twenty-five years than Lawrence Kushner. With his first book—the now-classic introduction to Jewish mysticism, The Book of Letters—Kushner established himself as one of the most creative religious thinkers in America. He is now read worldwide by people searching to understand the connection between the sacred and the ordinary. With an inspiring Introduction by Thomas Moore, author of the best-selling books Care of the Soul and The Soul of Sex, Eyes Remade for Wonder offers something unique to both the spiritual seeker and the committed person of faith, and is a collection to be treasured and shared.
This volume is a compelling invitation to meditate on the deeper meaning of the fourteen verses of Psalm 27. During the month of Elul and the High Holy Day and Festival season, we reflect on our relationships, choices, beliefs, and practices, considering where to make repairs, adjustments, and atonement. Opening Your Heart with Psalm 27 provides gentle guidance through this journey of reflection, offering heartfelt insight, profound translation, and an invaluable framework for meaningfully participating in this annual spiritual practice.
The Jews are known for their intuitive genius in getting out of a pickle. With their long history of persecution, they've developed a knack for escaping seemingly hopeless predicaments: when your back is against the wall, you learn to think fast. Centuries of reasoning and interpreting the Holy Scriptures have also contributed to the Jews' skill in solving the most puzzling problems. This astute way of thinking is known in Yiddish as yiddishe kop, literally "Jewish head." Through Jewish humor, folklore, and tales of the great rabbis, Rabbi Nilton Bonder presents the basic principles of this creative approach to thinking, which sees beyond appearances to the hidden truth of any problem. Once these are mastered, they may in turn be applied to many "impossible" situations that arise in business and in life. The book focuses on four levels of solving a problem: 1. On the level of Information, we approach problems literally, in response to the obvious and the concrete. 2. On the level of Understanding, we obtain concealed information through techniques such as questioning, reframing, and emptying the mind. 3. On the level of Wisdom, we access the world of intuition, where a "fool" can achieve the impossible by relying on feelings, premonitions, dreams, and coincidences. 4. On the level of Reverence, we discover the hidden Reality behind appearances. This is the realm of those who dare to take risks, make commitments, and learn from mistakes, who act out of their living experience without relying solely on reason and conceptual thinking.
The Special Times of the Jewish Year Can Be a Framework for Your Life as a Couple “Through the holiday cycle we have seen that life is a complex weave of light and darkness, bitter and sweet, striving and surrendering. The twisted candle reminds us that as a couple our two lives have become intertwined as one. Two souls enter a partnership, interwoven yet always distinct, joined by a third strand, the Divine Presence. As we perform the ritual of Havdalah, we hold our hands up to the flame and catch the reflection of the last light on our fingertips. We pray that the light will continue to shine through our words and deeds, in our homes and in the world.” —from Chapter 9 More than just calendar commitments, the Jewish holidays carry with them a view of what is important in life, a set of assumptions that can challenge and deepen the way we think about relationships. This inspiring and practical guidebook helps you to understand your life as a couple in the context of the themes of Jewish holidays (Yom Kippur, Purim, Pesah, Sukkot, Shabbat): Forgiving and Growing Playing, Laughing and Taking Risks Coming Home, Finding Freedom Blessing Bounty, Facing Impermanence Pausing to Bless What Is ... and more Drawing from ancient and contemporary texts, Jewish tradition and personal stories, Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer and Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener provide creative exercises, rituals and guided discussions that help you make connections to tradition, community and each other. By experiencing the Jewish holidays as times to focus on your relationship, you’ll find renewed meaning in these holy celebrations and new opportunities for spiritual growth all year long.
Stirring and Inspiring Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz's Spiritual and Mystical Thoughts Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz was one of the greatest rabbis of the eighteenth century. Even as a child, he was renowned as one of the rare geniuses of his time. Among the most revered Torah scholars of the last 300 years, Rabbi Eybeshitz was also a prolific writer, preacher, and Kabbalah master. His innumerable writings cover all areas of Jewish Learning, including the Talmud, Jewish Law, Homiletics, and Kabbalah. Carefully chosen selections of Rabbi Eybeshitz's writings have now been translated into English by the illustrious scholar Rabbi Yacov Barber, making Rabbi Eybeshitz's extraordinary ideas and insight accessible to a wider audience. In Pearls of Wisdom, you will discover Rabbi Yehonatan's thoughts on the weekly Torah portion and the Jewish holidays, as well as his insights into the arrival of the Moshiach and the Messianic Era. "Reading this book is like being transported to Rabbi Eybeshitz's Shul in Hamburg during the 1750s and listening to his captivating sermons.
“Rabbi Riemer offers us the kind of wisdom that we need in order to survive and thrive,” writes Dr. Bernie Siegel, best-selling author of a dozen books about spirituality and healing. The late Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel adds, “Jack Riemer’s words are songs of hope and faith. Listen to them as I do.” Widely sought after as a master storyteller and teacher, Riemer is one of the most frequently quoted rabbis in the U.S. That’s because of the winding paths he takes in describing the relevance of timeless Jewish wisdom in our modern world. What do a professional baseball player, Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry box, a hurricane, a garbage dump and a blue blazer hanging in your closet have to do with each other? They’re all turning points in Riemer’s stories that lead us toward universal questions we all confront at some point in life, including: Is there a dream that gives meaning to your life? What are our duties to the people we love? How do you make a decision when you’re caught between two conflicting values? And, what would you do if you found out that your time on this earth was almost up? Reflecting on Riemer’s wisdom about life, retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor writes that the rabbi “is obviously a person with much understanding of the human situation.” Word of warning: The stories in this book may surprise you and perhaps make you chuckle, but they could change your life, as well.
Discover how to make virtually any moment in your day a significant part of a meaningful Jewish life. As we have discovered, and as our sages have long known, there is no experience in the life of a Jew that cannot be marked in Jewish ways.... The book you hold in your hands is the result of the kinds of rituals we have sculpted together over the years. It is not a prayer book or even a compendium of obligatory Jewish rituals. Rather, it is a source for all to use creatively. —from the Introduction Decades of experience by CLAL—The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in connecting spirituality with daily life come together in this one comprehensive handbook. In these pages, you have access to teachings that can help to sanctify almost any moment in your day. Offering a meditation, a blessing, a profound Jewish teaching, and a ritual for more than one hundred diverse everyday events and holidays, this guide includes sacred practices for: Lighting Shabbat candles Blessing your parents Running a marathon Visiting the sick Building a sukkah Seeing natural wonders Moving into a new home Saying goodbye to a beloved pet Making a shiva call Traveling ... and much more Drawing from both traditional and contemporary sources, The Book of Jewish Sacred Practices will show you how to make more holy any moment in your daily life.
This is the first complete and academic English translation of the Me'or 'Eynayim ("The Light of the Eyes"), a collection of Hasidic homilies following the order of the Torah portions, written by Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky of Chernobyl (1730-1797). First published in 1798, it has long been considered one of the great classics of early Hasidism"--
In September 1930, the New York Times published a list of the clergy whom Rabbi Stephen Wise considered "the ten foremost religious leaders in this country." The list included nine Christians and Rabbi Henry Cohen of Galveston, Texas. Little-known today, Henry Cohen was a rabbi to be reckoned with, a man Woodrow Wilson called "the foremost citizen of Texas" who also impressed the likes of William Howard Taft and Clarence Darrow. Cohen's fleeting fame, however, was built not on powerful friendships but on a lifetime of service to needy Jews—as well as gentiles—in London, South Africa, Jamaica, and, for the last sixty-four years of his life, Galveston, Texas. More than 10,000 Jews, mostly from Eastern Europe, arrived in Galveston in the early twentieth century. Rabbi Cohen greeted many of the new arrivals in Yiddish, then helped them find jobs through a network that extended throughout the Southwest and Midwest United States. The "Galveston Movement," along with Cohen's pioneering work reforming Texas prisons and fighting the Ku Klux Klan, made the rabbi a legend in his time. As this portrait shows, however, he was also a lovable mensch to his grandson. Rabbi Henry Cohen II reminisces about his grandfather's jokes while placing the legendary rabbi in historical context, creating the best picture yet of this important Texan, a man perhaps best summarized by Rabbi Wise in the New York Times as "a soul who touches and kindles souls.
Quite simply, the easiest introduction to Jewish mysticism you can read. An insightful and absorbing introduction to the ten gates of Jewish mysticism and how they apply to daily life. "There is a place that is as far from here as breathing out is from breathing in. For the word is very near to you. Where life forever holds gentle sway over death, where people are human with the same grace that a willow is a willow, where the struggle and the yearning between male and female is at last resolved.... It is to begin with, all inside us." —from the Introduction "In the past decade I’ve read Honey from the Rock at least half a dozen times. Every time I read it I wonder if I have ever read it before. Either it keeps changing, or I do. Maybe it’s both.... As someone told me: 'Lawrence Kushner is a mystic. He gives you flashes of insight.'” —from the Publisher’s Preface to the Anniversary Edition
This essential introduction to Judaism’s notions of spirit as they relate to God is designed to inform both Jews and Christians who are studying what it means when we say that God is spirit. Exploring the Hebrew Bible, Midrash, and other rabbinic writings, Rabbi Timoner uncovers surprising insights about how God as spirit influences Jewish ideas of creation, revelation, and redemption. Written with an accessible and engaging voice, full of stories and relevant teachings, Breath of Life speaks to lay readers and scholars alike, as it pursues a new perspective on Judaism’s sacred texts. This book promises Christian readers meaningful insights on their own notions of God as Holy Spirit while giving Jewish readers a new look at their own tradition. "In easy but deceptively profound language, Rachel Timoner deftly savors the essential unknowability of God, the ubiquity of Torah and the mystery of redemption. She’s given us an immensely literate and serious, contemporary Jewish theology. Breath of Life is a spiritual tour de force.” -Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Scholar in residence at Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco, and author of many books including Kabbalah: A Love Story "Any reader keen to cultivate a robust spirituality should read this little book. Jews and Christians may discover here something to talk about—scriptures we share and a quality of God we have in common.” -John R. (Jack) Levison, author of Filled with the Spirit; Professor of New Testament, Seattle Pacific University
Avi doesn't only talk the talk, or even walk the walk. He writes the instruction manual. This book shows a way, perhaps not the only way but one indispensable way, of being an activist on behalf of the Jewish people. Read it and learn." —from the Foreword by Alan M. Dershowitz I n this age of perpetual strife and conflict, we need now more than ever to find out how to be proactive in repairing our broken world. Rabbi Avraham Weiss's provocative and challenging guidebook will show you just that—and so much more. With easy-to-follow steps, accessible explanations of the principles of spiritual activism and an exploration into the foundations of spiritual activism as rooted in the Torah, Weiss offers more than simply a user manual—he provides an in-depth approach to changing your role in the world. Topics include: • Why, How and When Do We Engage in Spiritual Activism? • Choosing the Cause • Making Partners • Designing the Strategy • Leading Other People • Seeing the Big Picture • And more ...
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a rabbi? If you have, then this book is for you! Rabbi Apple, with humor and openness, describes his childhood, youth, and what influenced him to become a rabbi. He is candid about his life in three congregational pulpits and his long career as a Navy chaplain. Fortunately for many people, Rabbi Apple never listened to his mother when she kept telling him, “What kind of job is this for a nice Jewish boy?”
Where the Heavens Kiss the Earth is a comprehensive, transformative, enlightening book that reveals the deepest mysteries of life in an entertaining, user-friendly way. The purpose of life, fate, destiny, free-will and a grand plan, the spiritual universes, body and soul, and more, are explained from the perspective of the great Kabbalists, elucidated with analogies, metaphors and stories that open us up to the profundity of these topics. Through the eyes of the mystical wisdom, we can finally get a handle on the inner workings of our world, our being, and how to attain happiness. At the end of each chapter, Rabbi Ingber brings theory into action with exercises and practical applications to transform these life enhancing ideas into our daily reality. This book is sure to enlighten your mind, inspire your heart and awaken your soul. I commend Rabbi Ingber for this masterful work and recommend it to all those that want to make their lifes journey in this world more meaningful, significant and purposeful. -Rabbi Zev Leff, Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva, Moshav Mattisyahu Rabbi Ingber presents very challenging concepts in ways that both scholars and laypeople can understand. He provides multiple examples from varied perspectives to elucidate constructs and ensure a deep understanding of the most profound human questions. As such, one finds oneself pulled into each chapter yearning to know more...Thank you for this gift. -Dr. Julie Ancis, Associate V.P. Georgia Institute of Technology, APA Fellow A penetrating look into the mysteries of the universe by a charismatic, funny, gracious, and knowledgeable teacher. Reading this book was like having a long and enthralling conversation with one of the most talented teachers and scholars of Jewish Mysticism today. -Joseph Skibell, Author, Winship Distinguished Professor Emory University Where the Heavens Kiss the Earth presents complicated areas in Jewish Philosophy in a clear, pleasant and rational manner, that can be easily understood by all who wish to. It is easy to read and enjoyable, yet so profound and accurate. -Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Rosh Kollel, The Jerusalem Kollel
This book challenges us to take a broad and ethical view of economic behavior, which includes all forms of exchange and human interaction, from how we spend our money to how we fulfill our role as responsible human beings in a global economic framework. Drawing on Jewish ethical teachings, mystical lore, and tales of the Hasidic masters, Bonder explores a wide range of subjects including competition, partnerships, contracts, loans and interest, tipping, and giving gifts.
Rabbi Gary M. Spero takes readers on a journey exploring Jewish concepts of God, theology, spirituality, prayer and the meaning of life. The book also examines the commonality of fundamental beliefs in world religions. It examines the roles of pets and animals in our spiritual lives. Rabbi Gary gives advice on marriage, raising children, dealing with grief and loss and a myriad of other topics.
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