Rabbi Reuven Hammer's Books

The Torah Revolution

Fourteen Truths that Changed the World

By: Rabbi Reuven Hammer, PhD

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The Torah Revolution

Fourteen Truths that Changed the World

By: Rabbi Reuven Hammer, PhD

Unlock the powerful truths that shattered ancient beliefs and paved the way for the new and revolutionary religion that became Judaism. This is a unique look at the Torah—the foundation of Jewish existence—and the revolutionary teachings of Moses embedded within it that gave birth to Judaism and influenced the world. Dr. Reuven Hammer presents fourteen radical ideas found in Torah, explains their original intentions, and shows how understanding these "truths" can help you better understand the narrative and laws of Judaism. He shows how when taken together, these value concepts present a picture of human life that is surprisingly modern and relevant to our goals for repairing the world today: • Humanity is one as God is one • Human beings are responsible for their actions and have the choice to do good or evil • Poverty, deprivation, slavery and hatred are evils that must be eradicated • The earth is not ours to destroy • The love of others is a divine command • And much more ...

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270

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580235239

ISBN 13

9781580235235

The Torah Revolution

Fourteen Truths that Changed the World

By: Rabbi Reuven Hammer, PhD

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The Torah Revolution

Fourteen Truths that Changed the World

By: Rabbi Reuven Hammer, PhD

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Turner Publishing Company

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1580235239

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9781580235235

Stepping Stones to Jewish Spiritual Living

Walking the Path Morning, Noon, and Night

By: Rabbi James L. Mirel,Karen Bonnell Werth

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Stepping Stones to Jewish Spiritual Living

Walking the Path Morning, Noon, and Night

By: Rabbi James L. Mirel,Karen Bonnell Werth

An innovative yet practical guide to greater mindfulness that brings spirituality into our everyday lives—for any lifestyle. “Judaism offers a rich tradition for the spiritual seeker: its spirituality infuses daily activities with holiness and purpose. While relating the spiritual journey to a typical day in your life, we will walk with you through brief sections that discuss Jewish thought and tradition. These are followed by sections that include methods, activities, devotions, and blessings to enrich your spiritual practice. Every page offers the reader another step, another area of focus, another perspective to bring the sacred into everyday life.” —from the Introduction In every moment of each day, we have the opportunity to bring the sacred into our everyday lives. We can perform acts of mindfulness and thanksgiving that can transform our lives and help us repair the world. Stepping Stones to Jewish Spiritual Livingprovides spiritual activities, meditations, prayers, and simple rituals to accommodate any lifestyle and daily routine, giving us a chance to embrace God’s creation throughout the day. Coauthored by a rabbi and a psychotherapist, it bridges the gap between faith and healing, tradition and innovation, acceptance of the past and transformation for the future. Chapters are arranged according to the cycle of each day—from sunrise to midnight—and feature creative new rituals, inspiring passages from traditional Jewish texts, prayers, poems, blessings, acts of kavanah (spiritual intention), and more: SunriseRenewing our bodies with meditation and mindful breathing. Morning Contributing to tikkun olam (repairing the world) by ethically pursuing our livelihoods and recognizing our social responsibility. Afternoon Giving thanks with blessings at meal times, and extending hospitality to family, friends, and community. Evening Combining study and prayer with relaxation and leisure. Night Confronting pain, loss, and death with rituals for healing and renewal for the future. Includes special sections dealing with the sacred aspects of relationships, love and sexuality, mourning and loss, Kabbalah, and more. By transforming our days, Stepping Stones shows us how we can transform our lives to practice mindfulness all day, every day—and transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

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268

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

158023660X

ISBN 13

9781580236607

The Death of Death

Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought

By: Rabbi Neil Gillman, PhD

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The Death of Death

Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought

By: Rabbi Neil Gillman, PhD

Does death end life, or is it the passage from one stage of life to another? In The Death of Death, noted theologian Neil Gillman offers readers an original and compelling argument that Judaism, a religion often thought to pay little attention to the afterlife, not only presents us with rich ideas on this subject—but delivers a deathblow to death itself. Combining astute scholarship with keen historical, theological and liturgical insights, Gillman outlines the evolution of Jewish thought about bodily resurrection and spiritual immortality. Beginning with the near-silence of the Bible on the afterlife, he traces the development of these two doctrines through Jewish history. He also describes why today, somewhat surprisingly, more contemporary Jewish scholars—including Gillman—have unabashedly reaffirmed the notion of bodily resurrection. In this innovative and personal synthesis, Gillman creates a strikingly modern statement on resurrection and immortality. The Death of Death gives new and fascinating life to an ancient debate. This new work is an intellectual and spiritual milestone for all of us interested in the meaning of life, as well as the meaning of death.

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358

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580235425

ISBN 13

9781580235426

Judaism For Dummies

By: Rabbi Ted Falcon,David Blatner

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Judaism For Dummies

By: Rabbi Ted Falcon,David Blatner

Judaism isn’t a race or even a particular culture or ethnic group. There are about 13 or 14 million Jews spread around the world, including about 6 million in the United States and about 5 million in Israel – so Judaism clearly isn’t “a nation.” So what does it mean to be Jewish? Here are the basics: Being Jewish (being “a Jew”) means you’re a Member of the Tribe (an M-O-T). The tribe started with a couple named Abraham and Sarah about 4,000 years ago, it grew over time, and it’s still here today. You can become part of the Jewish tribe in two ways: By being born to a Jewish mother or joining through a series of rituals (called converting). Judaism is a set of beliefs, practices, and ethics based on the Torah. You can practice Judaism and not be Jewish, and you can be a Jew and not practice Judaism. Whether you're interested in the religion or the spirituality, the culture or the ethnic traditions, Judaism For Dummies explores the full spectrum of Judaism, dipping into the mystical, meditative, and spiritual depth of the faith and the practice. In this warm and welcoming book, you'll find coverage of Orthodox Jews and breakaway denominations Judaism as a daily practice The food and fabric of Judaism Jewish wedding ceremonies Celebrations and holy days 4,000 years of pain, sadness, triumph, and joy Great Jewish thinkers and historical celebrities Jews have long spread out to the corners of the world, so there are significant Jewish communities on many continents. Judaism For Dummies offers a glimpse into the rituals, ideas, and terms that are woven into the history and everyday lives of Jewish people as near as our own neighborhoods and as far-reaching as across the world.

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439

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Published Date

ISBN 10

1118053702

ISBN 13

9781118053706

Jewish Wisdom for Growing Older

Finding Your Grit and Grace Beyond Midlife

By: Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, MSW, MA, BCC

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Jewish Wisdom for Growing Older

Finding Your Grit and Grace Beyond Midlife

By: Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, MSW, MA, BCC

Offers inspiration and guidance to help you make greater meaning and flourish amid the challenges of aging. It taps ancient Jewish wisdom for values, tools and precedents to frame new callings and beginnings, shifting family roles, and experiences of illness and death. For seekers of all faiths; for personal use and caregiving settings.

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157

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580238327

ISBN 13

9781580238328

Torah Encounters

Genesis

By: Rabbi Daniel Pressman

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Torah Encounters

Genesis

By: Rabbi Daniel Pressman

“Torah, as both book and process, is the taproot that penetrates to the heart of Jewish meaning, understanding, and expression. Torah study is how we mine not just meaning from the text, but our awareness of God’s will,” writes Rabbi Daniel Pressman in the introduction to Torah Encounters: Genesis. This book invites readers into the richness of the Torah, sharing context and information for each parasha, as well as commentary from generations of Biblical interpreters—historical and modern, and Rabbi Pressman’s own insights. The first in the five-volume Torah Encounters series, Torah Encounters: Genesis makes the weekly Torah portion approachable and applicable. It is a wonderful resource for clergy, adult or high school Hebrew education, or personal study.

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178

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Rowman & Littlefield

Published Date

ISBN 10

0838101054

ISBN 13

9780838101056

The Bible’s Top 50 Ideas

The Essential Concepts Everyone Should Know

By: Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins,Abigail Treu

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The Bible’s Top 50 Ideas

The Essential Concepts Everyone Should Know

By: Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins,Abigail Treu

All the important moral ideas of the modern world are based on the key biblical verses analyzed in this collection. What generally happens when someone picks up a copy of the Bible? Often it is put down within seconds because readers see endless verses which turn them off. Finally, here is an accessible book about the Bible that focuses on its great moral principles: --Human beings are created in the image of God. --"Love your neighbor as yourself." --"You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor." --"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." --"Justice, justice shall you pursue." Dov Peretz Elkins believes that if a reader understands fifty verses of the five thousand in the Bible (only 1 percent), he or she will begin to grasp the essence of the Bible. This remarkable explanation of the Bible shows readers how it can serve as a light that illuminates a path through the confusion and problems in their personal and communal lives. The result is a life that is better and more serious--a life with meaning, purpose, and direction. The Bible's Top 50 Ideas: --Presents the Bible's essential ideas in readable, engaging fashion. --Focuses on the contemporary value of the Bible. --Uses commentaries and explanations from sources that are modern as well as ancient, Christian as well as Jewish, and popular as well as scholarly. Elkins not only simplifies the Bible but also demonstrates how its fundamental ideas and concepts have inspired four thousand years of civilization to follow its teachings. The result is a moral, legal, and literary foundation that remains the basis of all democratic and principled societies to this day.

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364

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Wipf and Stock Publishers

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ISBN 10

1725233401

ISBN 13

9781725233409

God of Becoming and Relationship

The Dynamic Nature of Process Theology

By: Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, DHL

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God of Becoming and Relationship

The Dynamic Nature of Process Theology

By: Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, DHL

You no longer have to choose between what you know and what you believe—an accessible introduction to a theological game-changer. “I wrote this book for you if you want to be able to locate your life in a single, encompassing story, one that includes everything from the first moment the universe began until yesterday, a narrative that embraces deepest personal meaning, a yearning to love and be loved, a quest for social justice and compassion.” —from the Introduction Much of what you were told you should believe when you were younger forces you to choose between your spirit and your intellect, between science and religion, between morality and dogma: unchanging laws of nature vs. miracles that sound magical; a good God vs. the tragedies that strike all living creatures; a God who knows the future absolutely vs. an open future that you help to shape through your choices. This fascinating introduction to Process Theology from a Jewish perspective shows that these are false choices. Inspiring speaker, spiritual leader and philosopher Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson presents an overview of what Process Theology is and what it can mean for your spiritual life. He explains how Process Theology can break you free from the strictures of ancient Greek and medieval European philosophy, allowing you to see all creation not as this or that, us or them, but as related patterns of energy through which we connect to everything. Armed with Process insights and tools, you can break free from outdated religious dichotomies and affirm that your religiosity, your spirit, your mind and your ethics all strengthen and refine each other.

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208

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Jewish Lights Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1580237134

ISBN 13

9781580237130

Recovery, the 12 Steps and Jewish Spirituality

Reclaiming Hope, Courage & Wholeness

By: Rabbi Paul Steinberg

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Recovery, the 12 Steps and Jewish Spirituality

Reclaiming Hope, Courage & Wholeness

By: Rabbi Paul Steinberg

Claim the Spiritual Freedom That Waits Beyond the Suffering and Slavery of Addiction “One of the important similarities between AA and Jewish spirituality is the statement in Step 12, ‘to practice these principles in all our affairs....’ There is no dichotomy of sacred versus secular. Jewish spirituality applies to how we eat, sleep, work, socialize and recreate. There is nothing that is external to the relationship of human being to God.” —from the Foreword A major new Jewish contribution to 12-Step spirituality. This easy-to-read exploration from a Jewish perspective is the first comprehensive approach to successfully integrate classic Jewish spirituality with the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other recovery resources. With clarity and passion, Rabbi Paul Steinberg masterfully weaves traditional Jewish wisdom with the experience, strength and hope of AA. He draws on Jewish resources—theological, psychological and ethical—that speak to the spiritual dimension of the disease, and shows how the principles of Jewish spiritual recovery directly align with those of the AA 12 Steps. Along the way, he courageously shares his own personal struggles with alcoholism and addiction in a way that will help others find guidance and a new life path—and stay on it.

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177

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Jewish Lights Publishing

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ISBN 10

1580238084

ISBN 13

9781580238083

A Partner in Holiness

Deepening Mindfulness, Practicing Compassion and Enriching Our Lives through the Wisdom of R. Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev's Kedushat Levi—Volume 1

By: Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater, DMin

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A Partner in Holiness

Deepening Mindfulness, Practicing Compassion and Enriching Our Lives through the Wisdom of R. Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev's Kedushat Levi—Volume 1

By: Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater, DMin

Find inspiration for a satisfying spiritual life of practice through the combination of contemporary mindfulness meditation and classical Hasidic spirituality. The soul yearns to feel connected to something greater and to know happiness despite personal suffering and seemingly endless need. Surprisingly, the perspectives of the late eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Hasidic spiritual teachers offer a radically different Jewish theology that speaks directly to today’s spiritual seekers whose faith has been shattered by both modernity and the Holocaust. These masters taught of interdependence, interconnectedness, selflessness, service and joy, anticipating the insights of contemporary science and twenty-first-century spirituality. Bringing together the teachings of beloved Hasidic master Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev (1740–1809) and the practice of mindfulness meditation, Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater reveals a new entrance into Jewish spiritual life. Covering the Five Books of Moses, these two volumes present accessible translations of selections from Kedushat Levi, R. Levi Yitzhak’s Hasidic Torah commentary, which emphasizes our spiritual capacity to transform consciousness and so our life experience. The selections are paired with Rabbi Slater’s commentaries to illuminate their message. “The lessons in Kedushat Levi were not originally intended as intellectual curiosities or as demonstrations of R. Levi Yitzhak’s brilliance. They were meant to inspire religious passion and deeper spiritual practice. I believe that these teachings will come to life in us when we bring them into our lives in practice.” —from the Introduction

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336

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Jewish Lights Publishing

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ISBN 10

1580237940

ISBN 13

9781580237949

Living the Life of Jewish Meditation

A Comprehensive Guide to Practice and Experience

By: Rabbi Yoel Glick

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Living the Life of Jewish Meditation

A Comprehensive Guide to Practice and Experience

By: Rabbi Yoel Glick

Meditation empowers us to transcend our material mind-set and touch the Infinite and Eternal. “True meditation transforms the way we see reality.... It touches the place inside us where a spark of the Eternal dwells. Meditation unites us with our true Self.” —from the Introduction The life of meditation is much more than the act of sitting for half an hour or forty-five minutes and looking inward. It is a whole way of life. Through meditation we learn to live in a heightened awareness and walk at all times in the presence of God. Rabbi Yoel Glick brings wisdom from personal experience and Eastern traditions to illuminate and vitalize familiar Jewish rituals, vocabulary and imagery. He provides specific guidelines and practical techniques grounded in Judaism for each stage of the life of meditation, outlining the inner processes we encounter and the questions we face: How does meditation help us connect with the Collective Jewish Soul?What happens in our mind, body and soul when we meditate? How do we resist the pull of a material mind-set and live in expanded consciousness? What does it feel like to reach union with our spiritual source? • How do we remain aware of God’s living presence in our everyday life?

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272

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Jewish Lights Publishing

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ISBN 10

1580238025

ISBN 13

9781580238021

The Chutzpah Imperative

Empowering Today's Jews for a Life that Matters

By: Rabbi Edward Feinstein

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The Chutzpah Imperative

Empowering Today's Jews for a Life that Matters

By: Rabbi Edward Feinstein

Reconnect with Judaism’s most important contribution to humanity—and redeem our world. “The gift of Judaism is an understanding of what it means to be a human being—what we can do, what we can hope for, how we can live with purpose, what is expected of us. It is a celebration of human freedom, human possibility and human responsibility. Judaism is a way to live a heroic life, to construct a life devoted to values that are eternal, values of ultimate significance. The reward of a Jewish life is walking the world with a profound faith that you matter, your life matters, your dreams matter. I call this chutzpah.” —from the Introduction In this clarion call for a new way to “do Judaism,” award-winning spiritual leader Rabbi Edward Feinstein urges us to recover this message of Jewish self-empowerment—or chutzpah—to reshape our world. He walks us through the history of chutzpah—from the early chapters of Genesis, Jewish biblical law and the Rabbis of the Talmud to the mystics of medieval Spain and the European Hasidic tradition, Zionism and post-Holocaust thought. By showing us the ever-presence of chutzpah in Judaism he reveals the inner story of the Jewish People’s soul as well as the meaning that Judaism’s deepest purpose and most precious treasure has for us today.

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193

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Jewish Lights Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1580237924

ISBN 13

9781580237925

Increasing Wholeness

Jewish Wisdom and Guided Meditations to Strengthen and Calm Body, Heart, Mind and Spirit

By: Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz

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Increasing Wholeness

Jewish Wisdom and Guided Meditations to Strengthen and Calm Body, Heart, Mind and Spirit

By: Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz

Combines Jewish tradition, contemporary sciences and world spiritual writings with practical contemplative exercises. Will help you balance and integrate mind, body, heart and spirit, reach out to the Divine, and be more fully present and effective in your life.

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208

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Jewish Lights Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1580238238

ISBN 13

9781580238236

Empowered Judaism

What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us about Building Vibrant Jewish Communities

By: Rabbi Elie Kaunfer

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Empowered Judaism

What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us about Building Vibrant Jewish Communities

By: Rabbi Elie Kaunfer

The inside story and practical lessons from one of the most exciting developments in contemporary Judaism. Part description and part prescription, Empowered Judaism is a manifesto for transforming the way Jews pray andmore broadlyfor building vibrant Jewish communities. [It] represents the latest chapter in [an] uplifting history of religious creativity. This is a book that every Jewish leader will want to read and every serious Jew will want to contemplate. from the Foreword by Prof. Jonathan D. Sarna Why have thousands of young Jews, otherwise unengaged with formal Jewish life, started more than sixty innovative prayer communities across the United States? What crucial insights can these grassroots communities provide for all of us? Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, one of the leaders of this revolutionary phenomenon, offers refreshingly new analyses of the age-old question of how to build strong Jewish community. He explores the independent minyan movement and the lessons it has to teach about prayer, community organizing and volunteer leadership, and its implications for contemporary struggles in American Judaism. Along with describing the growth of independent minyanim across the country, he examines: The roles of liturgy, space, music and youth in this new approach to prayer Lessons to be learned from the concept of immersive, intensive Jewish learning in an egalitarian context Jewish values in which we must invest to achieve a vibrant, robust American Jewish landscape for the twenty-first century

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272

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Turner Publishing Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

1580235697

ISBN 13

9781580235693

Making Prayer Real

Leading Jewish Spiritual Voices on Why Prayer Is Difficult and What to Do about It

By: Rabbi Mike Comins

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Making Prayer Real

Leading Jewish Spiritual Voices on Why Prayer Is Difficult and What to Do about It

By: Rabbi Mike Comins

Fresh, Useful Perspectives on the Spiritual Dynamics of Prayer Better music, better sermons and better prayer books can only go so far. Many innovations have been tried around the world, and no doubt, synagogue leadership will continue to think creatively about improving services. But deep and lasting change will only come when each of us takes ownership and responsibility for what only we can really guideour inner lives. from the Preface Join over fifty Jewish spiritual leaders from all denominations in a candid conversation about the why and how of prayer: how prayer changes us and how to discern a response from God. In this fascinating forum, they share the challenges of prayer, what it means to pray, how to develop your own personal prayer voice, and how to rediscover meaning and Gods presence in the traditional Jewish prayer book.

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330

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580235689

ISBN 13

9781580235686

Davening

A Guide to Meaningful Jewish Prayer

By: Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

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Davening

A Guide to Meaningful Jewish Prayer

By: Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Experience the living taste of prayer in your heart, the deep and gentle glow of prayer in your soul. "Many who live their lives as Jews, even many who pray every day, live on a wrapped and refrigerated version of prayer. We go to synagogue dutifully enough. We rise when we should rise, sit when we should sit. We read and sing along with the cantor and answer 'Amen' in all the right places. We may even rattle through the prayers with ease. We sacrifice vitality for shelf-life, and the neshomeh, the Jewish soul, can taste the difference." —from the Introduction This fresh approach to prayer is for all who wish to appreciate the power of prayer’s poetry and song, jump into its ceremonies and rituals, and join the age-old conversation that Jews have had with God. Reb Zalman, one of the most important Jewish spiritual teachers in contemporary American Judaism, offers you new ways to pray, new channels for communicating with God and new opportunities to open your heart to God’s response. With rare warmth and authenticity, Reb Zalman shows you: How prayer can engage not just spirit, but mind, heart and body Meditations that open the door to kavanah, the focus or intention with which we pray How to understand the underlying “deep structure” of our prayer services How to find and feel at home in a synagogue How to sing and lead niggunim, the simple, wordless tunes that Jews sing to get closer to God and more

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232

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580236839

ISBN 13

9781580236836

Meaning & Mitzvah

Daily Practices for Reclaiming Judaism through Prayer, God, Torah, Hebrew, Mitzvot and Peoplehood

By: Rabbi Goldie Milgram, DMin

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Meaning & Mitzvah

Daily Practices for Reclaiming Judaism through Prayer, God, Torah, Hebrew, Mitzvot and Peoplehood

By: Rabbi Goldie Milgram, DMin

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.

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254

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580234755

ISBN 13

9781580234757

Witnesses to the One

The Spiritual History of the Sh'ma

By: Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler

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Witnesses to the One

The Spiritual History of the Sh'ma

By: Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler

An exploration of Judaism's most sacred statement and world-changing idea. "Hear O Israel, the Eternal is Our God, the Eternal is One!" There is arguably no more important statement in Judaism than the Sh'ma. Its words—calling us to hear, to listen, to pay attention—defy direct translation and have meant different things throughout history. In a deeply personal exploration of this sacred proclamation, command, and prayer, Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler delves into the spiritual history of the Sh’ma, inspiring you to claim your own personal meaning in these enduring words. By examining how the Sh’ma has been commented upon by ancient sages and contemporary thinkers, he opens the doors between each generation that has found a different dimension of truth in the Sh’ma. Each chapter focuses on a major historical figure and includes a sacred story, an exploration into the story’s many meanings, and a suggestion for a new way of "hearing" the voice in the story. Experience the Sh’ma through the lives of: w Moses—Fighting Idolatry w Akiba ben Joseph—The Sages Offer Their Lives w Saaida Gaon—Proving the One w Moses Maimonides—Nothing Like God w Haim Vital—Communing with the One w Moses Haim Luzzatto— “Master of the Universe” w Abraham Isaac Kook—A Nation Reborn w Leo Baeck—One Moral Standard w Abraham Joshua Heschel—A Prophecy: “One World or No World”

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173

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580235859

ISBN 13

9781580235853

The Spirit of Renewal

Finding Faith after the Holocaust

By: Rabbi Edward Feld

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The Spirit of Renewal

Finding Faith after the Holocaust

By: Rabbi Edward Feld

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.

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254

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Turner Publishing Company

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ISBN 10

1580237797

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9781580237796

Filling Words with Light

Hasidic and Mystical Reflections on Jewish Prayer

By: Rabbi Lawrence Kushner,Nehemia Polen

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Filling Words with Light

Hasidic and Mystical Reflections on Jewish Prayer

By: Rabbi Lawrence Kushner,Nehemia Polen

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.

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164

Publisher

Turner Publishing Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

1580235824

ISBN 13

9781580235822

The God Upgrade

Finding Your 21st-Century Spirituality in Judaism's 5,000-Year-Old Tradition

By: Rabbi Jamie S. Korngold

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The God Upgrade

Finding Your 21st-Century Spirituality in Judaism's 5,000-Year-Old Tradition

By: Rabbi Jamie S. Korngold

For people who don't believe that God can intervene in our lives, and why Judaism is still important. "Judaism has so much to teach us about how we treat ourselves, each other, and our planet.... Of course, you can learn these values elsewhere. But as a people, Jews have thousands of years of experience turning this kind of stuff over and over. [We’ve] had millions of users working to debug the system. Rather than look to other sources for guidance, let us turn to our own people’s past to discover what it has to say about our present and our future." —from the Introduction For some people, the biggest stumbling block in religion is God—even for an ordained rabbi who admits her rational mind “can’t buy into a God in the sky who writes down our deeds and rewards and punishes us accordingly.” But not being sold on an intervening God shouldn’t bar you from living a vibrant and fulfilling Jewish life. The God concept has seen many upgrades over the centuries and it is these reinterpretations that have kept Judaism relevant. In this provocative look at the ways in which God concepts have evolved and been upgraded through the centuries, Adventure Rabbi Jamie Korngold examines how our changing ideas of God have shaped every aspect of Judaism. With enthusiasm and humor, she shows that by aligning our understanding of God with modern sensibilities, Judaism can be made more meaningful, accessible and fully compatible with twenty-first-century life.

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208

Publisher

Turner Publishing Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

1580235875

ISBN 13

9781580235877

Book's by Rabbi Reuven Hammer

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