Powerful life lessons in a funny and moving portrait of family, community and spiritual discovery in America. Hilarious and heartfelt, Ron Wolfson's inspiring memoir is filled with stories of growing up in a warm family, encountering colorful characters like the merchants of Omaha and the famous Warren Buffett, navigating adolescence and learning never to underestimate his mother. With easygoing Midwestern humor and profound poignancy, Ron's "true stories" of family and community in the United States of America will resonate with anyone seeking to shape stronger families, create compelling communities and live their best life, a life of joy and laughter, meaning and purpose, and, yes, blessings and kisses. "I am the best boy in the United States of America. That’s what my grandfather―my 'Zaydie’―called me from the time I was a little child in Omaha, Nebraska. I know it’s true because this is a true story. All my stories are true.... “Zaydie loved three things: his family, his business, and his adopted country―the United States of America. I never, ever heard Zaydie say 'the United States.’ It was always ‘da United States of America,’ in his thick Russian accent.... For Louie Paperny, each one of his nine grandchildren was the best boy or the best girl in the United States of America. We believed him. I believed him. And in a certain way, I’ve lived the rest of my life trying to be that best boy." ―from Chapter 1
Noted educator and community revitalization pioneer Dr. Ron Wolfson presents practical strategies and case studies to guide Jewish leaders in turning institutions into engaging communities that connect members to Judaism in meaningful and lasting ways.
Synagogues should be effective and relevant centers of Jewish life but too often the focus is on programs not people, on revenue not relationships. The end result is frequently a corporate atmosphere where membership lacks commitment, core leadership and spiritual fulfillment. In this empowering, practical guide, Dr. Ron Wolfson shows you how to transform your synagogue congregation into a sacred community by focusing on strategies for successful change. Using a case-study format for creating an inviting spiritual center, Wolfson defines the welcoming congregation and the fundamental materials that are involved in building one. He addresses the services a welcoming congregation should provide, the themes the congregation should focus on, and the standards that a vital spiritual community should uphold. Tapping into his experiences as co-developer of Synagogue 2000, the transdenominational project designed to envision and implement the ideal synagogue of the spirit for the twenty-first century, Wolfson also provides essential problem-solving tools that you can use to alleviate roadblocks along the way.
How do you get to the heart of a life well lived? Its all about the questions. If you can hear the questions and apply them to the way you live your life on earth today, then when the time comes, your soul will be ready to take that stairway to heaven, prepared to answer the Seven Questions with a resounding Yes!, and take your rightful place among the angels. from the Prologue In this charming, inspiring and wise guide to a well-lived life, beloved teacher Ron Wolfson provides an advance copy of the Seven Questions youll be asked in heavenwhether youre a believer or a non-believer. The answers to these questions will help you shape a life of purpose and meaning on earth today. Supported by wisdom from the Jewish tradition, lifes experiences, and personal anecdotes, Wolfson tells you about these transformative questions and explores the values that are at the heart of a life that matters. He offers funny, insightful and poignant stories of how peopleancient and contemporaryhave answered the Seven Questions through their everyday actions. He encourages you to reflect on your own life goals and provides ideas both big and small for achieving them.
In this charming and wise guide to a well-lived life, beloved teacher Ron Wolfson provides an advance copy of the questions you'll be asked in heaven, encouraging you to reflect on your life goals and providing ideas both big and small for achieving them.
Become a real superhero! Learn how to use the powers God gave you to continue the work of creation and repair the world. "We don't have to pretend to use the powers God has given us. These powers are real and they are super! Our God shares God’s powers with us so we can make our lives better and the lives of others better. When we learn how to use God’s superpowers, we become God’s partners— God’s superheroes—on earth." —from the Introduction This inspirational guide for kids ages eight to twelve is a marvel, showing them (and their families) that it’s easy to become God’s partner on earth: figure out what God does in the Bible, then do it! God creates, blesses, rests, calls, comforts, cares, repairs, wrestles, gives and forgives. For each of God’s superpowers, Dr. Ron Wolfson gives kids stories and suggestions for what might be on their own God’s to-do list— the many ways they can use their superpowers to make a difference in the lives of others, and find meaning and purpose for their own.
You Are God’s Partner Put on This Earth to Do God’s Work “What on earth are you here for? To do the tasks that God has for you.... You can call someone who is lonely. You can visit a friend who is sick. You can read a book to a child. You can comfort a mourner. You can volunteer your time. You can make a difference. You can give of your self—a self that is infused with godliness.” —from the Introduction All human beings are made in the image of God. But for what purpose were you made? The biblical answer is clear: you are to imitate God in order to bring God’s presence into your life and the lives of others. This practical guidebook to repairing the world—often in simple everyday ways—details the biblical accounts of what God does, not what God says: God creates, blesses, rests, calls, comforts, cares, repairs, wrestles, gives and forgives. For each of God’s actions, this provocative resource suggests what might be on God’s to-do list for you, the many ways you can make small and great differences in the lives of others and find the ultimate source of meaning for your own. An inspiring gift to uplift your spirit and share with others, whatever your faith, you can do God’s To-Do List.
Create a meaningful and happy Hanukkah in your home--with story, celebration, food and song. This newly-designed, easy-to-use edition of a classic spiritual sourcebook offers updated information, more family ideas, and new resources for every aspect of your holiday celebration. Information on every aspect of Hanukkah is covered, including: The story of Hanukkah Celebrating--for families of every constellation Songs and prayers in English, Hebrew and Yiddish (with clear transliterations) Recipes for traditional and modern Hanukkah foods "December Dilemmas"--coping with other traditions' celebrations Firsthand explanations and ideas from real-life families around America Hands-on advice and practical suggestions invite families into Hanukkah's spirituality and joys, from the making of luscious latkes and Hanukkah crafts to the stories of the heroism and the miracle that are remembered every year with the lighting of the hanukkiyah.
A Step-by-Step Guide for Honoring the Dead and Empowering the Living When someone dies, there are so many questions--from what to do in the moment of grief, to dealing with the practical details of the funeral, to spiritual concerns about the meaning of life and death. This indispensable guide to Jewish mourning and comfort provides traditional and modern insights into every aspect of loss. In a new, easy-to-use format, this classic resource is full of wise advice to help you cope with death and comfort others when they are bereaved. Dr. Ron Wolfson takes you step by step through the mourning process, including the specifics of funeral preparations, preparing the home and family to sit shiva, and visiting the grave. Special sections deal with helping young children grieve, mourning the death of an infant or child, and more. Wolfson captures the poignant stories of people in all stages of grieving--children, spouses, parents, rabbis, friends, non-Jews--and provides new strategies for reinvigorating and transforming the Jewish ways we mourn, grieve, remember, and carry on with our lives after the death of a loved one.
You Are God s Partner Put on This Earth to Do God s Work What on earth are you here for? To do the tasks that God has for you . You can call someone who is lonely. You can visit a friend who is sick. You can read a book to a child. You can comfort a mourner. You can volunteer your time. You can make a difference. You can give of your self a self that is infused with godliness. from the Introduction All human beings are made in the image of God. But for what purpose were you made? The biblical answer is clear: you are to imitate God in order to bring God s presence into your life and the lives of others. This practical guidebook to repairing the world often in simple everyday ways details the biblical accounts of what God does, not what God says: God creates, blesses, rests, calls, comforts, cares, repairs, wrestles, gives and forgives. For each of God s actions, this provocative resource suggests what might be on God s to-do list for you, the many ways you can make small and great differences in the lives of others and find the ultimate source of meaning for your own. An inspiring gift to uplift your spirit and share with others, whatever your faith, you can do God s To-Do List. Dr. Ron Wolfson is Fingerhut Professor of Education at American Jewish University in Los Angeles and cofounder-president of Synagogue 3000. He is author of The Seven Questions You re Asked in Heaven: Reviewing and Renewing Your Life on Earth; God s To-Do List: 103 Ways to Be an Angel and Do God s Work on Earth; Hanukkah, Passover, and Shabbat, all Federation of Jewish Men s Clubs Art of Jewish Living family guides to spiritual celebrations; The Spirituality of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation into a Sacred Community;A Time to Mourn, a Time to Comfort: A Guide to Jewish Bereavement and Comfort; and, with Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, What You Will See Inside a Synagogue (all Jewish Lights), a book for children ages 6 and up.
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 Step-by-Step Guide for Honoring the Dead and Empowering the Living When someone dies, there are so many questions—from what to do in the moment of grief, to dealing with the practical details of the funeral, to spiritual concerns about the meaning of life and death. This indispensable guide to Jewish mourning and comfort provides traditional and modern insights into every aspect of loss. In a new, easy-to-use format, this classic resource is full of wise advice to help you cope with death and comfort others when they are bereaved. Dr. Ron Wolfson takes you step by step through the mourning process, including the specifics of funeral preparations, preparing the home and family to sit shiva, and visiting the grave. Special sections deal with helping young children grieve, mourning the death of an infant or child, and more. Wolfson captures the poignant stories of people in all stages of grieving—children, spouses, parents, rabbis, friends, non-Jews—and provides new strategies for reinvigorating and transforming the Jewish ways we mourn, grieve, remember, and carry on with our lives after the death of a loved one.
The most memorable prayer of the Jewish New Year—what it means, why we sing it, and the secret of its magical appeal. Through a series of lively commentaries, over thirty contributors—men and women, scholars and rabbis, artists and poets, spanning three continents and all major Jewish denominations—examine Kol Nidre's theology, usage, and deeply personal impact. They trace the actual history of the prayer and attempts through the ages to emend it, downplay it and even do away with it—all in vain. They explore why Kol Nidre remains an annual liturgical highlight that is regularly attended even by Jews who disbelieve everything the prayer says. Prayers of Awe An exciting new series that examines the High Holy Day liturgy to enrich the praying experience of everyone—whether experienced worshipers or guests who encounter Jewish prayer for the very first time.
A varied and fascinating look at sin, confession and pardon in Judaism. Through a series of lively introductions and commentaries, almost forty contributors—men and women, scholars, rabbis, theologians and poets, representing all Jewish denominations—examine the history of confession in Judaism, its roots in the Bible, its evolution in rabbinic and modern thought, and the very nature of confession for men and women today. Featuring the traditional prayers—provided in the original Hebrew and a new and annotated translation—this third volume in the Prayers of Awe series explores the relevance of confession today in what is bound to be the most up-to-date, comprehensive and insightful reconsideration of sin and confession in Judaism.
Celebrate the joy of “making Shabbat” each week in your home—with rituals, prayers, blessings, food, and song. This expanded, easy-to-use edition of the classic spiritual sourcebook offers updated information, more ideas, and new resources for every aspect of the holy day. An inspiring how-to guide to every aspect of Shabbat, including: History and meaning How to prepare Rituals, prayers, and blessings (step-by-step) The Sabbath day Havdalah Songs and prayers in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish (with clear transliterations) Recipes for traditional and modern foods to spice up the Shabbat menu Family activities to enhance the experience Enriched by real-life voices sharing practical suggestions and advice, this creative resource helps us to reacquaint ourselves with time-tested traditions and discover old and new ways to celebrate Shabbat, including biblically-inspired songs and games, Shabbat-related crafts, and more family-tested ideas.
Create a meaningful and happy Hanukkah in your home—with story, celebration, food and song. This newly-designed, easy-to-use edition of a classic spiritual sourcebook offers updated information, more family ideas, and new resources for every aspect of your holiday celebration. Information on every aspect of Hanukkah is covered, including: The story of Hanukkah Celebrating—for families of every constellation Songs and prayers in English, Hebrew, and Yiddish (with clear transliterations) Recipes for traditional and modern Hanukkah foods “December Dilemmas”—coping with other traditions’ celebrations Firsthand explanations and ideas from real-life families around America Hands-on advice and practical suggestions invite families into Hanukkah’s spirituality and joys, from the making of luscious latkes and Hanukkah crafts to the stories of the heroism and the miracle that are remembered every year with the lighting of the hanukkiyah.
Remember, retell, recreate, and relive the Exodus experience— with the stories, rituals, foods, and songs of Pesah. This revised and expanded edition of the classic spiritual sourcebook offers updated information, more ideas, and new resources for every aspect of the Festival of Freedom. An inspiring and practical how-to guide, Passoverclearly explains all the vital information that you need to fully honor—and to fully enjoy—this sacred celebration, including: History and meaning How to prepare, from shopping to kashering to selecting a Haggadah Rituals, prayers, and blessings (step by step) Songs and prayers in English and Hebrew (with clear transliterations) Innovative and imaginative new traditions to enliven your celebration Firsthand explanations and ideas from a variety of perspectives New information and ideas about how to involve everyone—from toddlers to teens to grandparents—in a meaningful Seder experience Enriched by real-life voices sharing practical, useful suggestions and advice, this creative resource helps us to reacquaint ourselves with time-tested traditions and discover old and new ways to celebrate the birth and continuous renewal of the Jewish people.
Designed to help celebrate & enrich the holiday season, explores the holiday's origins, the reasons for the Hanukkah candles & customs, & provides everything from recipes to family activities. Putting the holiday in a larger, timely context, "December Dilemmas" deals with ways in which a Jewish family can cope with Christmas.
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