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Orders are fulfilled by Amazon.com Net proceeds are donated to tzedakah Visit our Tzedakah Page		What? Rabbis can write? Check it out. Traces Of God Connecting the Dots in Torah Seeing God in Torah, History and Everyday Life by Rabbi Neil Gillman, PhD (JTS) February 28, 2006, Jewish Lights. A probing and powerful look at the dynamics of the religious experience and the role we play in shaping our relationship with God. The Torah is replete with references to hearing God but very few references to seeing God. What we look for and see are traces of God's presence in the world and in history, but not God. Seeing is complicated. For those traces to become identified as reflections of God's presence requires a good deal of interpretation. It's a matter of connecting the dots. In this special book, Rabbi Neil Gillman guides us into a new way of seeing the complex patterns in Bible, history and our everyday experiences and helps us to interpret what those patterns mean to us. A theologian who writes as a great teacher, Gillman probes for clues that will help answer the deepest questions of our spiritual search: How can I know if God really exists? How do I know when God is present? How much control do I have over my own destiny? Why do I suffer and what part do I play in redemption-both human and divine? By encouraging us to address these questions, Gillman helps us develop and refine our own spiritual vision and our ability to discern the presence of God in unanticipated ways. Click to read more. Be Still and Get Going A Jewish Meditation Practice for Real Life by Rabbi Alan Lew Little Brown - Summer 2005 From Publishers Weekly: Once again Rabbi Lew (One God Clapping; This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared) beautifully marries the ancient traditions, history and lore of the Torah and Talmud with the serene meditative practices of Zen Buddhism. His singular distinction of founding and leading a meditation center, Makor Or (in San Francisco), the first of its kind connected to a Conservative synagogue, gives him a unique perspective. He says that Jews have had the written treasures, rich discussions and the sacred Sabbath right in front of them for 3,000 years, but have often overlooked them. Using selected Torah passages, Talmudic musings and contemporary stories of friends and congregants, Lew illustrates the intrinsic spiritual path within Judaism and suggests ways to incorporate that path into an everyday spiritual practice. Like any good teacher unafraid to address big, broad issues-suffering, fear, conflict-and agile enough to make sense of the more elusive ones-listening for and finding God, connecting to and appreciating sacred emptiness-Lew follows each lesson with a summation of "practice points." Seekers need not be Jewish to engage the ancient wisdom of these meditations that offer a rich, multileveled path to everyday spirituality. Click the book cover above to read more. NEW IN PAPERBACK A Book of Life Embracing Judaism as a Spiritual Practice By Rabbi Michael Strassfeld February 10, 2006, Jewish Lights. A book that charts a clear path to a more spiritually rich practice of Judaism-from the coauthor of the best-selling Jewish Catalogs. For all the cycles of life, best-selling author Rabbi Michael Strassfeld presents traditional Jewish teachings as a guide to behavior and values. Where the tradition is replete with rituals (for example, the Sabbath), he describes them and shows how they can enrich spiritual living. Where rituals are sparse or nonexistent (for example, returning home at the end of the workday), he suggests new ones gleaned from his own study and experience. Strassfeld also brings the principles of "insight meditation" to Jewish life, using this practice to recover and reconstruct Judaism's spiritual dimension. He describes a Judaism that encourages within us a spiritual awareness as we participate in both traditional Jewish practices and the mundane activities of daily life. By engaging with Jewish tradition in ways that recapture its original kavanah, or intention, we will, Strassfeld maintains, achieve the two fundamental goals of Judaism-to become better human beings and to be in God's presence. (Hardcover published in 2002 by Schocken Books). Click to read more. Enneagram and Kabbalah, 2nd Edition Reading Your Soul By Rabbi Howard A. Addison February 2006, Jewish Lights. Patterns in our lives may escape us; reasons for our behavior often confuse us. To help us better understand the interplay of these dynamics, Rabbi Howard A. Addison combines two of the most powerful maps of consciousness known to humanity: the Tree of Life (the sefirot) from the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, and the nine-pointed Enneagram that was developed over several generations by mystics of several spiritual traditions. Individually, each offers guidance and wisdom; together, they show the forces that propel us and shape our personalities and behavior. Most important, the two suggest how we can live more harmoniously with ourselves and with others, minimize friction and tension and discover our own spiritual gateway to God. In this updated and expanded edition of his pioneering book, Rabbi Addison explores new understandings of the stages and pitfalls we experience along life's journey and the ways we can transcend the limits of our personalities in search of greater wholeness. He shows that, when brought together, the Enneagram and Kabbalah may enhance understanding of humanity's deepest motivations-both individually and collectively-thus opening wider the gate to personal growth. Click to read more. The Flame of the Heart Prayers of a Chasidic Mystic By Reb Noson of Breslov (1780-1844) Translated and adapted by David Sears, with the Breslov Research Institute February 2006, Jewish Lights. Let the compelling words of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) guide and inspire you to pray. This deeply personal book of prayers opens the profound teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov to all who seek enrichment in their own prayer practice. Captured in words by Reb Noson, Rebbe Nachman's closest disciple, this unique collection of Chasidic wisdom offers inspiring examples of how you can use spontaneous prayer as a powerful tool in your own spiritual life. Topics include: Finding God in Everything � Awakening the Soul � Living with Mindfulness � Midnight Meditation � Simplicity � Grasping the Infinite � Beginning Anew � Love of Humanity � Praying for the World � Hospitality � Spiritual Ups and Downs � Turning Darkness to Light � Unity in Diversity. Click to read more. Rethinking Synagogues A New Vocabulary for Congregational Life By Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD Spring 2006, Jewish Lights. A critical and challenging look at reinventing the synagogue and what that means for the survival of religious Judaism. Synagogues are under attack, and for good reasons. But they remain the religious backbone of Jewish continuity, especially in America, the sole western industrial or post-industrial nation where religion and spirituality are rapidly growing in importance. To fulfill their mandate for the American future, synagogues need to replace old and tired conversation with a new way of talking about themselves. Based on ten years of research with Synagogue 2000 (now Synagogue 3000), a pioneering experiment in synagogue transformation that dealt with some one hundred synagogues across all denominations, Rabbi Hoffman provides a fresh way for synagogues to think as they undertake the exciting task of transformation for success in the twenty-first century. Central to the challenge is his theological (not ethnic) rationale for the synagogue; his call for transformative, not just additive, change; and his exploration of what it would take for the synagogue to become a k'hilah k'doshah, a "sacred community," the moral and spiritual center that is needed for the twenty-first century. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, is cofounder of Synagogue 2000 and professor of liturgy at Hebrew Union College. He has written or edited over twenty-four books, including The Way Into Jewish Prayer, the multi-volume My People's Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries series, and The Art of Public Prayer: Not for Clergy Only . Click to read more. The Genesis of Leadership What the Bible Teaches Us about Vision, Values and Leading Change By Rabbi Nathan Laufer (Yeshiva University, Fordham Law) May 2006, Jewish Lights. A revealing look at the first five books of the Bible as the origin of leadership and how their ancient examples can help define leadership today. Most people do not think of the first five books of the Bible as books about leadership. After all, they mostly contain stories about individuals and their families. There are few political stories and even fewer chapters involving large masses of people-the kind of circumstances that we usually associate with leadership. Yet personal relationships parallel the relationships that leaders face in the larger world. The relationship dynamics in the first five books of the Bible point to the core issues of initiative, responsibility and fairness that are the foundations of successful or failed group leadership. In this inspiring guidebook, Rabbi Nathan Laufer exposes the first books of the Bible as the genesis of leadership, containing and confronting the issues of trust, relationship, vision and persuasiveness with which modern-day leaders must contend. Along with instances of exemplary leadership, Laufer also points out examples of failure to lead, leading with no direction, and leading in the wrong direction that pervade the first five books of the Bible and how these ancient examples can shape our lives as leaders today and in the future . Click to read more. Off the Derech How to Respond to the Challenge by Faranak Margolese Fall 2005, DevorahPublishing.com "Off the Derech," translated as "Off the Path," is the term used within the Orthodox Jewish community to describe those who have left Jewish observance. This groundbreaking new book by Faranak Margolese examines why Orthodox Jews stop practicing Judaism, confronting one of the most pressing issues in the religious Jewish world today. Based on a study which involved over 500 Jews who left Orthodox Judaism, Off the Derech presents the first comprehensive examination of the causes of defection from Orthodox Judaism. It clearly and thoroughly explains those causes, and provides solutions to this increasingly common phenomenon. In doing so, Off the Derech enlightens not only the Orthodox but Jewish parents and leaders from all streams of Judaism as the research provides valuable insights into assimilation and Jewish continuity at large. This highly anticipated work, over five years in the making, is certain to become the definitive handbook on what is emerging as one of the most difficult issues in the Orthodox and Jewish world today. It is a must-have, invaluable handbook for parents, teachers and Rabbis alike. Click to read more. Listening for the Oboe The Drashot of Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum (Paperback) by Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum Dr. Constance H. Buchanan (Introduction), Rabbi Margaret Wenig (Editor) November 2005, CBST Books Two of the best classes we ever took were at CBST (Jewish Law and Tattoos was one of them, hehe). And while some people go to shuls to pray or for the honey cake, we at MyJewishBooks.com have been attracted by the inspiring and humor filled sermons and drashot by Rabbi Kleinbaum (who can forget the poingnat Kol Nidre one, in which she also added that congregants were welcome to fall to sleep since Manhattanites are so sleep deprived it would be a miotzvah if she could grant them some needed rest, or that the Loew's Cinema 8:30 films were about to start across from the shul). And now, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah in Manhattan has published Listening for the Oboe, a collection of drashot by Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum from her first ten years as spiritual leader of CBST. Click the book cover above to read more. The Unfolding Tradition Jewish Law After Sinai by Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff November 2005, AVIV This volume analyzes the biblical and rabbinic roots of Jewish law, as interpreted by leading rabbis of the Conservative movement and beyond. This long-awaited work is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the roots, development and interpretation of Jewish law in general, and for those who wish to know how Conservative Judaism evolved and what it represents. The book includes texts by rabbis on the left and right of the Conservative movement, including Rabbis Jacob Agus, Ray Scheindlin, Gordon Tucker, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, David Hartman, Euguene Borowitz, Mordecai Kaplan, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Z. Frankel, Solomon Schechter, Louis Jacobs, David Gordis, Joel Roth, Neil Gillman, and Alana Suskind. Includes samples of Conservative legal theories, such as the ordination of women, a response to miscarriaged pregnancies, intimate relations, poverty, and the end of life. Click the book cover above to read more. DEAR RABBI, DEAR DOCTOR By Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. Fall 2005. Artscroll Denial is more than a river in Egypt. It can be a root to many problems and issues. Rabbi Twerski is an esteemed rabbi and Pittsburgh-based psychiatrist who is called upon the world over for his opinions. I was so addicted (a good addiction) to this book, I had to buy two more copies, because I kept loaning out my other copies to friends. There are over 200 questions and answers in this book covering issues including marriage, medicine, anxiety, 9/11 trauma, child rearing, chronic discontent, causeless hatred (sinas chinam), jealousy, pettiness, shalom bayit, retirement woes, depression, bi-polarity, addiction, an immature spouse, a paranoid shulmate, emotional dependecies, issues with parents and in-laws (who goes for help, the person with the headache or the person who causes the headache?), issues of self esteem, issues of hashkafah (perspective/ideology), dyselxia, and shidduchim. You learn a lot; it is a tiny bit voyeuristic; and if you are like me, you will find yourself disagreeing with him in some cases, and finding him Solomonic in other cases. Some of my favorite questions were: One "BT" asks why he is being discriminated against for a shidduch even though he is a great student (is it his perception, or something different?) An educated questioner is frustrated that no one listens to him/her (is it the ideas, or the way they are presented). May a shul move from a deteriorated neighborhood to a new suburb if it will leave older congregants without a house of worship? Can a rabbi recuse himself of giving advice to a nudnick if he has a vested emotional interest in the outcome? What if a teen crosses the street rather than walk quickly past an older slower walker so as not to embarrass them, but actually cuase them to feel ostracized? Why would Rabbi Twerski discourage the use of tranquilizers by a widow or widower to overcome shiva grief? What should one do if their husband is beloved in the community, but a tyrant at home? What if one's father abandoned the family and now wants to come to the daughter's wedding since she is marrying into a prestigious family? How can one overcome exam anxiety? Is marriage a hospital (will a shidduch solve emotional issues)? Must you honor a parent who calls you derogatory names? If a wife likes nail polish and her husband does not (due to religious reasons) , but the wife feels pretty with it on, but her husband doesn't, what should they do? If you act like a doormat, will people (or your daughter in law) wipe their feet on you all the time? It is a treasure trove of tsurris and intelligent answers From the cover: If you could spend a day with Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski M.D., and ask about every problem that plagues you, your friends, or your family - wouldn't you take that opportunity? It wouldn't matter if your questions were about "small" things that fray your nerves daily or about larger, life-changing struggles. He would listen patiently, carefully consider your situation, and help you build a bridge over your predicament. Even better � how to make your predicament disappear! That day has come! Flip through the table of contents of this amazingly insightful book and find that your question has already been asked - and answered! Ever since Rabbi Twerski began writing his weekly question-and-answer column "Seeking Solutions," he has been flooded with thousands of letters. This book contains new letters and answers that have not been printed before, as well as some of the classic questions and solutions from his column. This book contains nearly 200 letters, reflecting real problems faced by real people. You deserve the peace of mind Dear Rabbi, Dear Doctor can bring. Rabbi Twerski's advice is always down-to-earth, rooted in Torah and drawn from his long experience as a nationally known mental health professional. He believes that every individual and every family is entitled to a happy, healthy outlook. As he says in his introduction, "A Jewish home should be an oasis of stability, decency, and righteousness in a toxic world." This book is an important step in that direction. Click the book cover above to read more. TORAH TODAY A RENEWED ENCOUNTER WITH SCRIPTURE>BR> By P{inchas H. Peli (Jerusalem Post and Ben Gurion University of the Negev) with a foreward by Rabbi Harold M. Shulweis (Encino) 2004. University of Texas Press The central element of Jewish worship is the yearly cycle of reading the first five books of the Bible, the Five Books of Moses, called the Torah in Hebrew. Torah Today, a compilation of fifty-four essays that grew out of Pinchas Peli's Torah column in the Jerusalem Post, comments upon the weekly readings from the Torah. Written in a wonderfully clear style, each essay brings the reader closer to the rich spiritual world of Torah as it confronts the challenges of modern society. This reissue of Torah Today, with a new preface by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, makes this classic work available to a new generation of Bible students. The central element of Jewish worship is the yearly cycle of reading the first five books of the Bible, the Five Books of Moses, called the Torah in Hebrew. Torah Today, a compilation of fifty-four essays that grew out of Pinchas Peli's Torah column in the Jerusalem Post, comments upon the weekly readings from the Torah. Written in a wonderfully clear style, each essay brings the reader closer to the rich spiritual world of Torah as it confronts the challenges of modern society. This reissue of Torah Today, with a new preface by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, makes this classic work available to a new generation of Bible students. Click the book cover above to read more. Torah And Company by Rabbi Judith Z. Abrams Ben Yehuda Press (September 30, 2005) Enlighten your Sabbath table "Torah and Company," a new Torah portion discussion guide by Rabbi Judith Abrams. In "Torah & Company", Rabbi Abrams, who teaches Talmud online at Maqom.com, supplements a key passage on the weekly Torah portion with related passages of Mishnah and Gemara -- and then provides background information and discussion questions for each text. Taken together, "Torah and Company" provides the ingredients for thoughtful, open-ended, illuminating discussion of Jewish themes and beliefs, as reflected in the Torah, the Talmud, and our own lives today. With clear, accessible translations and explanations and introspective questions, "Torah and Company" is perfect for anyone who wants to bring Torah study and religious discussion to their dinner table, class room or synagogue. The breadth of Rabbi Abrams' selections ensure that everyone -- including those who have studied extensively in seminaries and yeshivas -- will find new, enlightening texts and interpretations. Serve up a rich feast of spiritual discussion from an age-old recipe:One part Torah. Two parts classic Jewish texts. Add conversation. Stir... and enjoy! "Offers readers easy access and guided questions which lead to thought-provoking discussion. A valuable guide for the Shabbat table of every Jew."- Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky, Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies, Jewish Theological Seminary. Click the book cover above to read more. To Heal a Fractured World The Ethics of Responsibility by Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of Great Britain October 2005. Schocken Sir Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi of GB for nearly the past 15 years, is one of the most respected religious thinkers and makes an impassioned plea for the return of religion to its true purpose-as a partnership with God in the work of ethical and moral living. (I have forgiven him for not attending the funeral of GB's top Reform Rabbi and leader.) What are our duties to others, to society, and to humanity? How do we live a meaningful life in an age of global uncertainty and instability? In To Heal a Fractured World, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks offers answers to these questions by looking at the ethics of responsibility. In his signature plainspoken, accessible style, Rabbi Sacks shares with us traditional interpretations of the Bible, Jewish law, and theology, as well as the works of philosophers and ethicists from other cultures, to examine what constitutes morality and moral behavior. "We are here to make a difference," he writes, "a day at a time, an act at a time, for as long as it takes to make the world a place of justice and compassion." He argues that in today's religious and political climate, it is more important than ever to return to the essential understanding that "it is by our deeds that we express our faith and make it real in the lives of others and the world." Sacks's wide-ranging scholarship is evident in the authorities he cites, including Plato, Karl Marx, Victor Frankl, Joseph B. Soloveitchik, William Wordsworth, Rashi, Maimonides, Jean-Paul Sartre, John Donne, Erich Fromm, Sigmund Freud and many others including Talmudic and rabbinical sources. Sacks claims that he "tried to make the book as simple and readable" as possible, but it is at times somewhat heavy-footed. Patient readers will be rewarded by exposure to a great intellect who demonstrates how his knowledge and experiences have led him to the conclusion that each individual has responsibility "to heal where others harm, mend where others destroy, [and] to redeem evil by turning its negative energies to good." Click the book cover above to read more. A VISION OF HOLINESS THE FUTURE OF REFORM JUDAISM By Rabbi Richard N. Levy August 2005, URJ Press Where is Reform Judaism heading in the twenty-first century? This was the question before the Central Conference of American Rabbis as it undertook to write a Statement of Principles, the fourth in a series of comprehensive statements that the Reform rabbinate has adopted throughout its history to help inspire the thought and practice of Reform Judaism. A Vision of Holiness is an explication of the Pittsburgh Principles' vision, as seen through the lens of the rabbi who guided the process and shaped the document. It is a personal reflection of a communal vision, an attempt to explore the implications of the 1999 document. A Vision of Holiness will change all of its readers, Reform or not, to reflect on the nature of their religious lives and deepen their relationships with God, their absorption in Torah, and their critical commitment to the destiny of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. A Vision of Holiness illumines the manner in which this vibrant group of Jews envisions its purpose in the world and sets forth challenges for Reform Judaism's ongoing engagement with mitzvot. Click the book cover above to read more. Second Chances Transforming Bitterness to Hope and the Story of Ruth by Rabbi Levi Meier, Rabbi at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles URIM. June 2005 Deep feelings of depression and giving up hope are often part of the human experience. Second Chances explores strategies that serve as models for a more positive and optimistic life, transforming tragic cir�cum�stances into a force for healing. Drawing upon years as a clinical therapist and spiri�tual chaplain, Rabbi Levi Meier (author of the best-selling book, Ancient Secrets) paints a fresh approach to the Bible and draws relevancy and sage advice from an ancient text. Rabbi Levi Meier, Ph.D., is Jewish Chaplain of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and a marriage, family and child therapist. He has authored numerous books on psychology and spirituality. His award-winning book, Ancient Secrets, was nominated as a finalist in the National Books for a Better Life Awards in the Spiritual category. Click the book cover above to read more. Performing Israel's Faith Narrative and Law in Rabbinic Theology by Jacob Neusner June 2005, Baylor University Press Rabbi Neusner introduces the complexities of rabbinic thought. If law alone yields legalism, then religious belief, by itself, fails to create justice. In Performing Israel's Faith, Jacob Neusner shows how Jewish Halakhah (law) and Aggadah (narrative) fit together to form a robust and coherent covenant theology one directly concerned about this world. Neusner's careful and thorough examination of several key issues within Rabbinic Judaism the nations, idolatry, sin, repentance, and atonement demonstrates that neither Halakhah nor Aggadah can be fully and rightly understood in isolation from each other. Performing Israel's Faith thus effectively reveals that Rabbinic Judaism's true pattern of religion was constituted by a covenant theology comprised by both law and story a covenant theology whose aim was to restore the sanctification of God's original creation. Click the book cover above to read more. The Art of Amazement by Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld Tarcher Daas, May 2005 The Art of Amazement is a curriculum for anyone to begin transforming our lives individually and collectively. Have you ever stopped to look at a breathtaking sunset and felt tremendous joy, calmness, or even timelessness? Has your entire body ever responded to something with awe? The Art of Amazement helps us to identify the source of that wonder, and to cultivate it and experience it daily-even hourly and minute by minute. Rabbi Seinfeld's powerful book outlines the ancient Jewish spiritual arts in clear terms for any spiritual seeker. The art of amazement is practical and accessible to anyone, and does not demand a radical lifestyle change. Each chapter in the book offers a lesson paired with exercises to help make small changes in routine to ultimately achieve a larger shift in perspective. Seinfeld's Jewish journey began after completing degrees in Classics and Anthropology at Stanford University. He slowly turned toward the Jewish path after living for two years in rural Mississippi, "surrounded by folks who knew my people's book better than I did." He journeyed around the world, and along the way, observant Jews he met in Paris inspired him to study in Israel. Seven years of study in Jerusalem culminated in rabbinical ordination and the seeds of the Art of Amazement book and seminar. Seinfeld is irritated that Michelangelo painted God as a bearded man in the sky in the Sistine Chapel. That did God and humanity a disservice. Seinfeld views the God of the patriarchs and matriarchs as more in line with what he believes the sages of Judaism always understood: a great, good and infinite spirit, one that should arouse in us a perpetual sense of amazement. Seinfeld hopes his book will help Jews (and even non-Jews) better savor the miracles of life, great and small. In one exercise, the rabbi asks readers to take their sweet time in eating an orange. That means fully contemplating the flavor, the texture, and even the fact that fruit was placed here on earth for our pleasure and nourishment. The resulting feeling should be one of amazement, something Seinfeld believes lies at the heart of Judaism and which may be mastered over time. Seinfeld adds that the brachot of daily life open a portal to the Infinite even in the midst of everyday life. "We're busy," says the rabbi. "Who has time to be amazed all the time? That's the genius of brachot. If you're going to eat the food anyway, how about appreciating the intense pleasure and wonderment of that first bite." "We have to recognize that one of the keys to loving your neighbor is to recognize the divine spark in every human being," he says. "Judaism gives us tools to do that." Click on the cover above to read more. Around the Family Table A Comprehensive Bencher and Companion for Shabbat and Festival Meals and other Family Occasions With insights and commentary by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of Efrat URIM; Ohr Torah Stone, (May 2005) Around the Family Table is a practical and inspiring book of devotion and prayer for the Jewish home. Many uplifting and ancient Jewish traditions are rooted in the home and celebrated with the family. This book of prayer and celebration is intended to serve as a guide for meaningful expressions of the Jewish experience at home. Inspiring stories and personal commentary by the author supplement the text throughout. Blessings and songs celebrating the entire year of Jewish festivals and Sabbaths, in Hebrew, with English instructions and translations, make this work of fundamental value for the Jewish home. From the blessings said on festivals and for Hannukah candle lighting to birth celebrations for boys as well as for girls, the marriage ceremony and blessings, prayers for inaugurating a new house, and other momentous life cycle occasions, all are marked with traditional praise and holy words. Rabbi Riskin's sensitivity and unique imprint is present throughout this comprehensive and handy companion. Some of the special additions include the following: Blessings for the children on Yom Kippur eve; Symbolic foods and ceremony for Rosh Hashana; Ushpizin for sukkot meals (welcoming patriarchs and matriarchs); Songs for all festivals Hannukah candle blessings; Eve of Israel Independence Day meal celebration; Tu b'shevat seder; Shalom Zakhar, Shalom Bat; Circumcision ceremony; Redemption of the firstborn; Simhat bat ceremony for baby girls; Dedication of a new home. Click the book cover above to read more. THE SEVENTY FACES OF TORAH The Jewish Way of Reading the Sacred Scriptures by Rabbi Stephen M. Wylen, Temple Beth Tikvah in Wayne, NJ Paulist Press, May 2005 Judaism, Christianity and Islam all acknowledge the Hebrew Bible to be sacred Scripture. And yet these different, and often contradictory, religions each has its own way of reading the Bible, interpreting it according to its own later sacred literature. In The Seventy Faces of Torah, Rabbi Stephen Wylen has written an important book that explains in clear and simple language the Jewish art of reading and interpreting the Bible. He introduces the reader to the major texts and genres of rabbinic literature in which the Jews discover 70 profound insights in every single verse of the Bible. Many Christians mistakenly think of Judaism as the "religion of the Old Testament," and wonder why Jews persist in their ancient faith and, unlike Christians, do not find Christ in every verse of the Bible. And how can such different religions be based on the same holy book? As Rabbi Wylen explains, Jews interpret the Bible in accordance with their own sacred literature, much as Christians do with the New Testament. These written scriptures of Judaism (such as The Talmud and Mishnah) are distinct from "Torah," the divine voice which speaks anew every day whenever Jews gather to learn the sacred texts of Jewish tradition. This book will be of interest to a wide audience, from Christian clergy and seminarians, and avid lay students of the Bible, to beginning rabbinical students, Jews who want to know more about their own tradition, and to all people who wonder what the Bible has to say to contemporary humanity. Rabbi Wylen also sheds new light on the conflict between religious modernism and Fundamentalism, which will make The Seventy Faces of Torah a valuable book for Bible study groups in churches and synagogues. Click the book cover above to read more. LOSING THE RAT RACE, WINNING AT LIFE by Rabbi Marc D. Angel, PhD Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue (Shearith Israel) of New York City URIM; Spring 2005 Our favorite Seattle-born Sephardic rabbi and religious leader has written this prescription for life. In the rush to meet the challenges and pressures of life, we don't always allow ourselves the time to contemplate the meaning of our realities. Why are we here? What do we hope to accomplish with our lives? Where are we headed, and what is genuinely important? We live in an exciting, fast-paced world that can provide us with many good things. On some level, however, we find ourselves feeling stuck in a rat race that lacks ultimate meaning. This book sheds light on the obstacles of the rat race, stimulates thought about the direction of our lives, and helps us draw on our strengths to get beyond the mundane. Click the book cover above to read more. DIGNITY BEYOND DEATH THE JEWISH PREPARATION FOR BURIAL by Rochel U. Berman, MSW (Hunter) URIM; Spring 2005 Foreword by Rabbi Irving Greenberg A basic tenet of Judaism is the obligation to value and serve the deceased, to extend dignity beyond death. In Judaism, a death is the affair of the entire community. Preparation of the dead for burial is undertaken by a community organization called the Chevra Kadisha, the Sacred Society. The volunteers of the Sacred Society quietly and privately wash, purify and dress the deceased. They simultaneously recite lyrical prayers from Psalms, thereby bearing witness to death as the last of life's important passages. Dignity Beyond Death examines the rituals of preparing the dead for burial from the point of view of those volunteers who undertake it, including chapters on the Holocaust and terrorism. For the first time, through personal interviews, the author shares a wealth of fascinating anecdotal material that will engage the reader in the humanity and ultimate dignity of this time-honored deed. Rochel Udovitch Berman was a member of the Congregation Rosh Pinah Chevra Kadisha in Westchester, N.Y. for seventeen years. She is currently a member of the Boca Raton Synagogue Chevra Kadisha and serves as a consultant to the Congregation B'nai Torah Chevra Kadisha in Boca Raton, Florida. In 2004, she narrated a Public Broadcasting System segment on Chevra Kadisha that aired on Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. Click the book cover above to read more. TORAH LIGHTS Genesis Confronts Life, Love and Family by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of Efrat URIM; Ohr Torah Stone, (May 30, 2005) Rabbi Riskin writes, "The world of biblical commentary reveals many secrets. First and foremost, the Bible... may be likened to a magnificent diamond, glistening with many brilliant colors all at the same time. And although the different hues often appear to be contradictory, when you view the totality of the light emanating from the diamond, you begin to appreciate how complementary they really are. Thus the sages of the Talmud understood that there are many possible truths contained in each biblical statement, each adding its unique melody to the magnificent symphony of the whole, synthesizing not in conflicting dissonance but in holy dialectic...." Click the book cover above to read more. Translating God My Journey To Godliness by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, vbs.org (Valley Beth Shalom in Encino CA) Jewish Lights Publishing , May 1, 2005 The esteemed and eminent rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino CA leads the readers on his journey to the rabbinate and the call of god and service.. Click the book cover above to read more. A VISION OF HOLINESS THE FUTURE OF REFORM JUDAISM By Rabbi Richard N. Levy August 2005, URJ Press Where is Reform Judaism heading in the twenty-first century? This was the question before the Central Conference of American Rabbis as it undertook to write a Statement of Principles, the fourth in a series of comprehensive statements that the Reform rabbinate has adopted throughout its history to help inspire the thought and practice of Reform Judaism. A Vision of Holiness is an explication of the Pittsburgh Principles' vision, as seen through the lens of the rabbi who guided the process and shaped the document. It is a personal reflection of a communal vision, an attempt to explore the implications of the 1999 document. A Vision of Holiness will change all of its readers, Reform or not, to reflect on the nature of their religious lives and deepen their relationships with God, their absorption in Torah, and their critical commitment to the destiny of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. A Vision of Holiness illumines the manner in which this vibrant group of Jews envisions its purpose in the world and sets forth challenges for Reform Judaism's ongoing engagement with mitzvot. Click the book cover above to read more. THE SIDDUR COMPANION BY PAUL H. VISHNY, Rabbi, J.D. Devorah Publishing, April 2005 There is an architecture to the Siddur which is truly a work of splendor. It was not created by one hand, nor at one time or in one place. The Siddur records the Jewish People's joyous searching for God, but it also records their longing for redemption, even as the text frequently marks suffering and hostile surroundings. This work is intended to form the background for a meaningful devotion to prayer, during the week and on the major festivals. It will help guide the novice through the different prayers and make these prayers more understandable and fulfilling. It will also give the daily davener a sense of where these prayers came from, how the rabbis developed them, and even their deeper purpose and meaning. Rabbi Vishny explores the origin of the siddur, the morning blessings, the p'sukei d'zimra, the amida prayers, the k'dusha, kaddish, havdalah, musaf, and so much more. Click on the cover above to read more. KOSHER LIVING IT'S MORE THAN JUST FOOD By RABBI RON ISAACS Jossey Bass, April 2005 Kosher Living is an essential guide to Jewish ethics and morality for your everyday life. Rabbi Ron Isaacs offers a warm, humorous, and eminently useful book that shows what is really kosher, proper, and appropriate in all aspects of our lives. Kosher Living includes comprehensive entries organized into practical categories of daily life practices3/4business, hospitality, relationships, care of the body, and more3/4it gives advice from all aspects of Jewish religion, custom, ritual, and tradition. This book is an invaluable source of inspiration; and a definitive reference work for every Jewish family. Written in an easy-to-use format, Kosher Living is a perfect tool for teaching Jewish values and tradition. Click on the cover above to read more. Judaism, Physics And God Searching For Sacred Metaphors In A Post-Einstein World by Rabbi David W. Nelson March 2005, Jewish LIGHTS Explores the interconnection of science and faith. In clear, non-technical terms, Judaism, Physics and God explores the basic ideas of five broad areas of modern physics and how they connect to our understanding of Judaism and God. Relating the scientific studies of cosmology, creation, chaos theory, relativity, and string theories to the human search for meaning through faith and religion, Nelson explores the fundamental question: How would our Jewish thought, belief, and language be affected if we were to internalize the lessons of physics as part of our intuitive sense of how the world works? How would it change our understanding of and relationship with God? In playfully informal prose that will captivate the most reluctant and unscientific reader, Rabbi Nelson draws upon a heritage rich with faith and science as he examines the ways these two seemingly incompatible fields share intriguing and enlightening connections. Rabbi Nelson (HUC 1980, Wesleyan) is the Director of The Jewish Life Connection in Washington Township, NJ. In addition to teaching for CLAL and HUC, He has spoken on and authored topics including "Way Beyond Chicken Soup: The Meaning of Jewish Law for the (Liberal) Jewish Soul"; "The Book is Better than the Movie: New Understandings of Pesach, the Haggadah, and Freedom"; "Close Encounters of the Jewish Kind: The Search for Intimacy with God"; "Re-Discovering Jewish Prayer: A Spiritual Safari for Jewish Explorers"; and "New Jewish Metaphors for Einstein's Descendents: Physics and the Language of Jewish Life for Non-Scientists" Click the book cover above to read more. Kosher Living It's More Than Just the Food by Rabbi Ron Isaacs Jossey-Bass (March 11, 2005) Kosher Living is an essential guide to Jewish ethics and morality for your everyday life. Rabbi Ron Isaacs offers a warm, humorous, and eminently useful book that shows what is really kosher, proper, and appropriate in all aspects of our lives. Kosher Living includes comprehensive entries organized into practical categories of daily life practices, business, hospitality, relationships, care of the body, and more3/4it gives advice from all aspects of Jewish religion, custom, ritual, and tradition. This book is an invaluable source of inspiration; and a definitive reference work for every Jewish family. Written in an easy-to-use format, Kosher Living is a perfect tool for teaching Jewish values and tradition. Rabbi Ron Isaacs has been the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom in Bridgewater, New Jersey since 1975. He received his doctorate in instructional technology from Columbia University's Teacher's College. He is the author of more than 80 books. Click the book cover above to read more. We Jews Who Are We and What Should We Do by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz Jossey-Bass (March 11, 2005) In We Jews, Rabbi Steinsaltz explores the most important issues that concern Jews today as Jews. He provides wise and uplifting answers to Jews everywhere, whether they are secular and assimilated or orthodox-Are we a nation or a religion? Are the stereotypes of Jews really true? Why are Jews so controversial? How can we navigate the opposing forces of diversity, culture, and politics? Can we survive intermarriage and the loss of tradition? Do we still worship the Golden Calf? In this book, Rabbi Steinsaltz sees causes and consequences, achievements and failures, looks at the contemporary world, and observes the dreams and longings of modern Jewish people. Written as an intimate and inspiring internal memo to the whole Jewish family, We Jews answers these questions and many more in a way that is at once insightful and inspiring Click the book cover above to read more. HELLO GOD, IT'S ME (original working title) JEWISH WITH FEELING A GUIdE TO MEANINGFUL JEWISH PRACTICE By Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi with Joel Segel March 3, 2005, Riverhead Books One of the great innovators in Jewish history and a father of the Jewish Renewal movement writes a practical guide to Jewish living in a modern world. Scholar, mystic, teacher, friend to spiritual teachers from Thomas Merton to Arthur green to David Cooper to Rodger Kamanetz to Shlomo Carlebach to the Dalai Lama, from Ram Dass to the revered Native American elders, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi is himself one of the great spiritual leaders of our time. In JEWISH WITH FEELING, Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi brings the core tenets and practices of Judaism into the twenty-first century. Drawing on a wide range of philosophies and religious traditions, Schachter-Shalomi illuminates the universal aspects of Judaism and shows readers how to apply them to daily life. Emphasizing personal experience over doctrine, he offers sage insight into how Judaism-both old and new-can help us lead satisfying spiritual lives. Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi acknowledges the complexities of our lives today, which leave many of us with little room for spiritual pursuits, and he gives readers the tools to understand God in a contemporary context. The message is simple: Meaningful practice is the springboard to fulfillment in modern times. Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi shows hot to: Connect with a personal god; create our own Sabbath practice; share our innermost experience with the divine; understand the deepest levels of our rituals; restore global responsibility to thje top of the Jewish agenda; enrich and learn from other faiths; and look to our future with hope. Click the book cover above to read more. Jewish Ritual A Brief Introduction For Christians by Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky, Daniel Judson Jewish Lights Publishing, February 2005 A window into the meaning of Jewish rituals throughout history and today-written especially for Christians. Ritual moments and opportunities guide the daily life of practicing Jews. These spiritual practices give expression to Jewish identity and reflect Judaism's core beliefs and values. But what can they mean to Christians seeking to understand their own faith? In this special book, Rabbis Olitzky and Judson guide you through the whys and hows of nine specific areas of Jewish ritual. * Observing the Sabbath * Keeping Kosher * Putting on Tefillin (Prayer Boxes) * Wrapping the Tallit (Prayer Shawl) * Covering the Head * Studying Torah * Praying Daily * Saying Blessings throughout the Day * Going to the Ritual Bath Providing you with the biblical and historical background of each practice, insight into its contemporary use and significance-including the often divergent approaches of different Jewish movements-and personal stories from rabbis and lay people, this easy-to-understand guide illustrates the deep meaning these rituals have in the Jewish relationship with God. Linking these practices to familiar rituals in the Christian tradition, Olitzky and Judson help you better understand the roots of Christianity and how the fundamentals of Judaism relate to and reflect your own spiritual foundation Wrestling With God And Men Homosexuality In The Jewish Tradition by Rabbi Steven Greenberg PAPERBACK EDITION March 2005, University of Wisconsin Press Rabbi Greenberg's Wrestling with God and Men has received a great deal of media attention. According to Publisher's Weekly, "While Greenberg's controversial biblical claims on this long-taboo topic may infuriate some and gratify others, his book arouses deep empathy for Orthodox homosexuals." Publisher's Weekly also named Greenberg one of the top ten authors at Jewish book festivals in 2004. His book was chosen by Amazon.com as one of the top ten 2004 gay and lesbian books. Greenberg recently won the Koret Jewish Book Award in philosophy and thought for his groundbreaking integration of faith and homosexuality; the award will be presented April 11, 2005 in San Francisco. He is also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award, which recognizes gay literature, in religion and spirituality, winners will be announced in New York City on June 2, 2005. Greenberg has toured in the United States, Canada, Europe and South Africa. While two verses in the Bible have long been understood to prohibit homosexuality as abominable, Rabbi Steven Greenberg sought to reconcile traditional Judaism and homosexuality in Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition. In the newly updated, paperback edition of his book, Greenberg includes a discussion of the compelling force that may influence sexuality. Rabbi Steven Greenberg became the first openly gay Orthodox rabbi in 1999. Currently, he is a senior teaching fellow at CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. For more information about Greenberg and Wrestling with God and Men, please visit www.wrestlingwithgodandmen.com Click the book cover above to read more. JUDAISM FOR TWO Partnering As A Spiritual Journey by Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener, and Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer Jewish Lights, March 2005 Rabbi Wiener (HUC-JIR) and Rabbi Fuchs-Kreimer (RRC) are respected teachers, leaders, and authors. Rabbi Wiener is one of America's top teachers of pastoral counseling. Rabbi Fuchs-Kreimer is a leader at RRC and also a Director for the Jewish Family Service in Philly. In this book, the collaboratively assert that Jewish teachings can strengthen relationships, both gay and straight. This innovative guidebook focuses on Jewish teachings and how the wisdom of the Jewish tradition can strengthen your committed relationship and make your life together richly rewarding. Offering a new perspective on Jewish life for couples at any stage in their lives together, Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer and Rabbi Nancy Wiener draw from the metaphors, concepts and values inherent in the Jewish holiday cycle to address topics important to your life together: communication, forgiveness, anger, play, sex, loss and change. They identify those aspects of Judaism that speak to the complexities of living life as a couple. At the end of each chapter you'll find exercises and suggestions for incorporating ritual, learning and loving-kindness into your time together, helping you reach out beyond yourselves and enrich your shared life as a couple. Click the book cover above to read more. THE EMERGENCE OF ETHICAL MAN ANSWERS BY RABBI JOSEPH B. SOLOVEITCHIK Edited by Michael Berger Ktav, March 2005 Discloses what it means to be human. For thousands of years, philosophers have pondered the question what it means to be human. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, known universally as "the Rav" --the rabbi par excellence-- answers the question in The Emergence of Ethical Man, edited by Michael Berger. Relying on both scientific research and classical Jewish sources, Soloveitchik explains how a thoroughly naturalistic setting could give birth to human personality -- and to Judaism's expectation of moral character and self-transcendence. The resulting religious anthropology is a startlingly fresh reading of the early chapters of Genesis, and highlights Judaism's distinctive view among those of other religious traditions. Click the book cover above to read more. Filling Words with Light Hasidic and Mystical Reflections on Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Rabbi Nehemia Polen Jewish Lights, January 2005 Engage Body and Soul with the Holy Words of Jewish Prayer . From personal gratitude as we greet the day, to affirming in community Judaism's steadfast devotion to God, prayer encompasses the expanse of our daily lives. In Filling Words with Light, Lawrence Kushner and Nehemia Polen offer new interpretations, flashes of insight, stories, and reflections on the words that compose the Jewish liturgy and enrich our understanding of how and why we pray. Following the order of the traditional prayer book, Kushner and Polen examine the concepts, phrases, and words of prayer, including: * Acts of love * Serving in joy * Blessing * Commandments * Repentance * Healing * Torah study * Reverence * Sabbath lights * Yearning ...and much more. Click the book cover above to read more. The Lost Princess & Other Kabbalistic Tales Of Rebbe Nachman Of Breslov Edited by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and Rabbi Chaim Kramer Jewish Lights, 2005 Discover the hidden secrets of Torah and Kabbalah through the captivating stories of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. "Rabbi Nachman's stories are among the great classics of Jewish literature. They have been recognized by Jews and non-Jews alike for their depth and insight into both the human condition and the realm of the mysterious." -from Aryeh Kaplan's Translator's Introduction. For centuries, spiritual teachers have told stories to convey lessons about God and perceptions of the world around us. Hasidic master Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) perfected this teaching method through his engrossing and entertaining stories that are fast-moving, brilliantly structured, and filled with penetrating insights. This collection presents the wisdom of Rebbe Nachman, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and accompanied by illuminating commentary drawn from the works of Rebbe Nachman's pupils. This important work brings you authentic interpretations of Rebbe Nachman's stories, allowing you to experience the rich heritage of Torah and Kabbalah that underlies each word of his inspirational teachings. Click the book cover above to read more. The Rebbe's Army Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch by SUE FISHKOFF January 2005, NOW IN PAPERBACK From Publishers Weekly: This remarkable ethnographic profile goes behind the scenes of Lubavitcher Judaism to explore how the movement's enthusiastic young emissaries, or schlihim, carry the Rebbe's message throughout the world. Armed with pamphlets, Shabbos candles and the dream of making all Jews more observant, these idealistic young married couples set up shop in unlikely locales like Peoria, Ill.; Anchorage, Ala.; or Salt Lake City, Utah. There they will tirelessly teach and fundraise-not just for a year or two, but for the rest of their lives. Fishkoff, a regular contributor to Moment and The Jerusalem Post, draws upon dozens of interviews with these schlihim, their supporters and their detractors. Traversing the country to do her research, she attended Shabbos dinners, mikvah demonstrations, Friday afternoon street proselytizing sessions and even a star-studded Chabad telethon in Los Angeles. (The telethon, Fishkoff rightly points out, is the perfect symbol for the way these Hasids have simultaneously eschewed and engaged with American culture, using technology to further their outreach.) Most interestingly, she includes interviews with Reform and Conservative Jews who, surprisingly enough, are often the chief financial backers of local Chabad initiatives. Though Fishkoff makes an effort to include some individuals' critiques of the movement, this is by no means an expos�; one leaves the book sharing her own tender admiration for the energetic dedication of the Rebbe's followers. Fishkoff writes robustly and engagingly, and her portrait of Chabad is not only profoundly respectful, but also poignant and full of joy." Click the book cover above to read more. Israel A Spiritual Travel Guide A Companion For The Modern Jewish Pilgrim by Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman Jewish Lights Publishing; SECOND EDITION (January 29, 2005) It is the must companion for any traveler to Israel. The blurb says it best, "the other travel books tell you how to get there, Hoffman tells you why to go and what to do when you're there." Hoffman, a Professor of Liturgy at HUC-JIR, is best known for his book, "What Is A Jew?" His travel guide is in four sections. The first contains eighteen (chai) meditations to be read before embarking on one's trip to Israel. The second section is on preparations for "the eve before the trip." Section three focuses on "How to prepare while on the way." And Section four is filled with 25 specific pilgrimage destinations for the traveler. For each site, such as The Kotel or a Kibbutz, Professor Hoffman provides THE FOUR A's -- four sections on "Anticipation," "Approach," "Acknowledgment," and "Afterthought." In Anticipation, one reads an overview of the sight; Approach contains biblical, rabbinic and other writings about the site; Acknowledgment is filled with prayers or readings for you to recite at your destination; and Afterthought provides a blank space in which you may record your feelings, emotions, or just plain journal entries that you can keep forever. This is an excellent companion for a trip to Israel." Click the book cover above to read more. If you are leading a trip, contact Jewish Lights and get the version of this book for trip leaders. Hasidism On The Margin Reconciliation, Antinomianism, And Messianism In Izbica/ Radzin Hasidism (Modern Jewish Philosophy and Religion: Translations and Critical Studies) by Shaul Magid University of Wisconsin Press (January 30, 2005) Hasidism on the Margin explores one of the most provocative and radical traditions of Hasidic thought, the school of Izbica and Radzin that Rabbi Gershon Henokh originated in nineteenth-century Poland. Shaul Magid traces the intellectual history of this strand of Judaism from medieval Jewish philosophy through centuries of Kabbalistic texts to the nineteenth century and into the present. He contextualizes the Hasidism of Izbica-Radzin in the larger philosophy and history of religions and provides a model for inquiry into other forms of Hasidism. In Hasidism on the Margin, Professor Shaul Magid of the Jewish Theological Seminary - a person whose spiritual biography is colored by his personal proximity to the haredi world - offers the reader a rare encounter with one of the strangest doctrines in the history of the hassidic movement. The doctrine, which was seemingly tucked away in the Izbica court, holds an element of attraction both because of its intellectual daring and its incitement to rule-breaking. Its genesis is in the theological thought of Rabbi Mordecai Joseph Lainer (1800-1854), founder of the messianic hassidic court in Izbi Click the book cover above to read more. Heavenly Torah As Refracted through the Generations By Abraham Joshue Heschel edited by Gordon Tucker with Abraham Joshua Heschel and Leonard Levin December 23, 2004, Continuumbooks 41 chapters and over 700 pages This is one of the most significant Jewish books of Fall 2004 To understand Heschel is to understand Judaism. If people would forego the Zohar and Kabbalah fad and actually read this book, we would be in better touch with our Jewish theology. If a dwarf were to sit on the shoulders of a giant, who would see farther? The dwarf would.. Reading this book allows we dwarves to sit on a giant's shoulders, and perhaps see what he saw. Known most widely for his role in the civil rights and peace movements of the 1960s, Abraham Joshua Heschel made major scholarly contributions to the fields of biblical studies, rabbinics, medieval Jewish philosophy, Hasidism, and mysticism. Yet his most ambitious scholarly achievement, his three-volume study of Rabbinic Judaism, is only now appearing in English. Heschel's great insight is that the world of rabbinic thought can be divided into two types or schools, those of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Ishmael, and that the historic disputes between the two are based on fundamental differences over the nature of revelation and religion. Furthermore, this disagreement constitutes a basic and necessary ongoing polarity within Judaism between immanence and transcendence, mysticism and rationalism, neo-Platonism and Aristotelianism. Heschel then goes on to show how these two fundamental theologies of revelation may be used to interpret a great number of topics central to Judaism. Gordon Tucker is senior rabbi of Temple Israel Center in White Plains, New York, and Adjunct Professor of Jewish Philosophy at Jewish Theological Seminary, New York City. Click the book cover above to read more. THE INEFFABLE NAME OF GOD: MAN Poems in Yiddish and English By Abraham Joshue Heschel Translated by Morton Leifman, Introduction by Edward Kaplan December 23, 2004, Continuumbooks.com. These 66 poems, here in English and Yiddish on facing pages, were collected in the first book Abraham Joshua Heschel ever published. They appeared in Warsaw in 1933 when Heschel was 26 years old and still a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Berlin. Written between 1927 and 1933-and never published in English before-this is the intimate spiritual diary of a devout European Jew, loyal to the revelation at Sinai and afflicted with reverence for all human beings. These poems sound themes that will resonate throughout Heschel's later popular writings: human holiness, a passion for truth, awe and wonder before nature, God's quest for righteousness, solidarity with the downtrodden, and unwavering commitment to tikkun olam. In these poems we also discover a young man's acute loneliness, dismay at God's distance, and dreams of spiritual and sensual intimacy with a woman. Cynthia Ozick writes, "To discover that the religious philosopher Abraham Joshua Heschel was a poet in his youth is both startling and indelibly self-evident-startling because the poems have so far eluded the anthologies; and at the same time familiarly manifest, in that Heschel's metaphysical writings themselves carry the impress of poetry. Like Herbert, like Donne, like Blake, he is God-haunted; his lyrics are steeped in the mystic's longing to tear away the curtain that conceals the divine radiance and (sometimes) God's tears." Arthur Hertzberg writes, "Abraham Joshua Heschel's first calling as a writer was to become in his early twenties a major poet in Yiddish. In this earliest work, Heschel stated all the themes of his later development as a religious thinker and passionate Jew. This work is now translated magnificently, in a way that is sensitive to Heschel's Yiddish, by Morton Leifman. Taken together, in the original Yiddish and in contemporary English, this book is a classic." People's eyes wait for me / Like candle wicks for a light Shamed brothers beg my help / Deceived sisters dream of consolation And it seems to em that I will, in time Move on through this earth With the brightness of all the stars In my eyes Click the book cover above to read more. The Bible's Top Fifty Ideas The Essential Concepts Everyone Should Know by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, with Abigail Treu S.P.I. Books (January 1, 2005) The author's theory is that if one knows 50 verses of the 5000 in the Torah (1%), the reader will begin to grasp the essence of the Bible This is a revolutionary approach. Finally, a book about the Bible that is accessible, which focuses on its great moral principles, and not about passages which relate long genealogies, and complicated priestly rituals at the altar. "What Rabbi Elkins does in this one volume window in the heart of the world's greatest Book is truly amazing. His discussions are engaging, inspiring, comprehensive and scholarly. I have found his book to be exceptionally accurate, thorough and comprehensive. This is a veritable treasure. I cannot praise this wonderful book enough." Prof. Shalom Paul, Chair, Department of Bible, Hebrew U. of Jerusalem. * "Dov Peretz Elkins continues to educate and inspire us all. His unique talents and knowledge allow him to present the most important values and concepts found in the Bible to a wide audience of persons in a characteristically intelligent and accessible manner. This book is a jewel." Rabbi David Ellenson, President, HUC-JIR. Click the book cover above to read more. The Ten Commandments of Character Essential Advice for Living an Honorable, Ethical, Honest Life by Rabbi JOSEPH TELUSHKIN Now in paperback. October 2004, Harmony. Here is a wealth of astute and warmhearted counsel on many of life's most difficult ethical dilemmas. Joseph Telushkin outlines his ten commandments of character, explaining why each one is so vital, and then addresses perplexing issues that can and often do crop up in our lives relating to family, friends, work, community, medical ethics, and money, such as: How honest should you be when you are asked to give a reference? How much assistance should you give your son with his college application essay? Is it wrong to receive a kidney from an executed prisoner in China? What should you do if your father begs you to end his life rather than allow him to descend into the hell of Alzheimer's? Should a brother give up part of his inheritance if his sister has children and considerable expenses and he doesn't? Should a dying woman reveal to her husband that their son is not really his? Many of us are finding it increasingly hard to tread the fine line between right and wrong. In The Ten Commandments of Character, Telushkin faces these issues squarely and shows us how to live a life of true integrity. Click the book cover above to read more. Face Your Fears Living with Courage in an Age of Caution Shmuley Boteach October 2004. St Martins Press. Advice for people who like pop generalizations. Rabbi Boteach, friend to Michael Jackson, Uri Geller, and other B-list pop celebrities, writes on a new topic. Boteach turns his attention to America's present state of mind and comes to the conclusion that fear is crippling society with unprecedented force. The only way to escape this climate is to learn what fear is and how to overcome it. He tackles fear headlong and answers the following questions: What is fear? What is it doing to us? Why is it affecting us now more than ever before? How can we be so powerful a society yet so susceptible to fear? How can we conquer it? Why do we need to conquer it? Click the book cover above to read more. Reclaiming Judaism as a Spiritual Practice: Holy Days and Shabbat by Rabbi Goldie Milgram Jewish Lights Publishing; (September 30, 2004) The Judaism that Rabbi Milgram describes growing up with-"desiccated, disappointing, depressing, and quite frankly, boring"-is what she hopes to counteract in this guide to Jewish holidays and Shabbat, designed to restore the soul of the tradition through a variety of Jewish practices. Structured as a tasting menu with "recipes" to enrich religious experience, the book is divided into two lopsided parts: holidays (150 pages) and Shabbat (30 pages), followed by a 20-page glossary. Each chapter explains history and customs, provides contemporary relevance, presents creative perspectives and raises provocative questions. Milgram, a self-described "postdenominational, or reconformadox" rabbi and teacher, promotes a Judaism that is "inclusive, egalitarian, nonhierarchical [and] nontriumphalist," but sometimes New Agey and overly saccharine. (An example of a "forgiveness call" before Yom Kippur begins: "Sandra? This is Reb Goldie. I feel there is some negative energy between us....") Milgram proposes Sukkot visualizations, especially for those who work indoors all day, allowing them to reconnect to nature; a "spiritual menu" for a Passover seder; a "Shabbat box" in which to deposit cell phones, TV remotes and disruptive thoughts that belong to the workday world; and even a meditation for preparing and baking challah. For those who want to sample Judaism's sensible and spiritual diet, Milgram's guide whets the appetite, pointing them toward enjoying the entire meal. Click the book cover above to read more. THE MESSIAH OF BROOKLYN UNDERSTANDING LUBAVITCH HASIDISM PAST AND PRESENT by Rabbi Avrum M. EHRLICH October 2004. KTAV. PW writes, "This biography by Ehrlich, a rabbi and philosopher of religion, is an exhaustive and painstakingly researched study of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the charismatic Habad-Lubavitcher rebbe who died in Brooklyn in 1994. The book's first section uncovers the history of Hasidism and its influential subculture, Habad, as well as Schneerson's pre-rebbe life and his succession to leadership. Parts two and three deal with his activities as the rebbe, including a detailed examination of Habad institutions and Schneerson's unique style of managing them from his headquarters in Brooklyn. Finally, the book concludes by analyzing the contentious issues that have arisen since Schneerson's death; after 45 years in office, he left no apparent heir. The book contains many references to the question of whether Schneerson or his predecessor were (or are) the Messiah. Both this discussion and the entire presentation are marred by repetition, often preceded by tiresome reiterations of "as has been seen" and "as will be seen." Sensible editing might have rendered the book of interest to a wider readership by eliminating irksome duplication and broadening the subject. Its appeal is now limited to those who want to carefully study one important segment of Hasidism." Click the book cover above to read more. Heavenly Torah As Refracted through the Generations By Abraham Joshue Heschel edited by Gordon Tucker with Abraham Joshua Heschel and Leonard Levin December 23, 2004, Continuumbooks 41 chapters and over 700 pages This is one of the most significant Jewish books of Fall 2004 To understand Heschel is to understand Judaism. If people would forego the Zohar and Kabbalah fad and actually read this book, we would be in better touch with our Jewish theology. If a dwarf were to sit on the shoulders of a giant, who would see farther? The dwarf would.. Reading this book allows we dwarves to sit on a giant's shoulders, and perhaps see what he saw. Known most widely for his role in the civil rights and peace movements of the 1960s, Abraham Joshua Heschel made major scholarly contributions to the fields of biblical studies, rabbinics, medieval Jewish philosophy, Hasidism, and mysticism. Yet his most ambitious scholarly achievement, his three-volume study of Rabbinic Judaism, is only now appearing in English. Heschel's great insight is that the world of rabbinic thought can be divided into two types or schools, those of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Ishmael, and that the historic disputes between the two are based on fundamental differences over the nature of revelation and religion. Furthermore, this disagreement constitutes a basic and necessary ongoing polarity within Judaism between immanence and transcendence, mysticism and rationalism, neo-Platonism and Aristotelianism. Heschel then goes on to show how these two fundamental theologies of revelation may be used to interpret a great number of topics central to Judaism. Gordon Tucker is senior rabbi of Temple Israel Center in White Plains, New York, and Adjunct Professor of Jewish Philosophy at Jewish Theological Seminary, New York City. Click the book cover above to read more. THE INEFFABLE NAME OF GOD: MAN Poems in Yiddish and English By Abraham Joshue Heschel Translated by Morton Leifman, Introduction by Edward Kaplan December 23, 2004, Continuumbooks.com. These 66 poems, here in English and Yiddish on facing pages, were collected in the first book Abraham Joshua Heschel ever published. They appeared in Warsaw in 1933 when Heschel was 26 years old and still a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Berlin. Written between 1927 and 1933-and never published in English before-this is the intimate spiritual diary of a devout European Jew, loyal to the revelation at Sinai and afflicted with reverence for all human beings. These poems sound themes that will resonate throughout Heschel's later popular writings: human holiness, a passion for truth, awe and wonder before nature, God's quest for righteousness, solidarity with the downtrodden, and unwavering commitment to tikkun olam. In these poems we also discover a young man's acute loneliness, dismay at God's distance, and dreams of spiritual and sensual intimacy with a woman. Cynthia Ozick writes, "To discover that the religious philosopher Abraham Joshua Heschel was a poet in his youth is both startling and indelibly self-evident-startling because the poems have so far eluded the anthologies; and at the same time familiarly manifest, in that Heschel's metaphysical writings themselves carry the impress of poetry. Like Herbert, like Donne, like Blake, he is God-haunted; his lyrics are steeped in the mystic's longing to tear away the curtain that conceals the divine radiance and (sometimes) God's tears." Arthur Hertzberg writes, "Abraham Joshua Heschel's first calling as a writer was to become in his early twenties a major poet in Yiddish. In this earliest work, Heschel stated all the themes of his later development as a religious thinker and passionate Jew. This work is now translated magnificently, in a way that is sensitive to Heschel's Yiddish, by Morton Leifman. Taken together, in the original Yiddish and in contemporary English, this book is a classic." People's eyes wait for me / Like candle wicks for a light Shamed brothers beg my help / Deceived sisters dream of consolation And it seems to em that I will, in time Move on through this earth With the brightness of all the stars In my eyes Click the book cover above to read more. FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH THE NEW ENCOUNTER BETWEEN JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg Irving Greenberg Summer 2004, Jewish Publication Society. Rabbi Greenberg's new book makes an invaluable contribution to interfaith conversation. He calls for Christians and Jews to come together in their continuously evolving partnership with God-dual covenants that demand "openness to each other, learning from each other, and a respect for the distinctiveness of the ongoing validity of each other." Now, when the resurgence of anti-Semitism poses a threat to Jews here and around the world, this powerful book presents a new opportunity to heed the call first put forward by Rabbi Greenberg nearly four decades ago: a call for people of all faiths and cultures to work together to create a world in which everyone can live with dignity and equality-the deserved inheritance of a humanity created in the image of God. In the first half of his book, Rabbi Greenberg takes us on his personal journey to a rethinking of Christianity, which ultimately gave rise to his belief that Christianity, Judaism (and every religion that works to repair the world and advance the triumph of life) are valid expressions of the pact between God and humankind. In Part 2 he brings together for the first time his seven most important essays on the new encounters between Judaism and Christianity. Click the book cover above to read more. You Are My Witness The Living Words of Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Edited by Jane Isay, Writings from Marshall T. Meyer and Naomi Meyer September 2004. St Martins Press. Marshall Meyer, who died at age 64 in 1993, was a human rights leader and a powerful voice for justice. People flocked to hear him in Argentina, where he served as a rabbi for twenty-five years. In the mid-1980's, he became the spiritual leader of the fastest growing Jewish congregation in the U.S., Congregation B'Nai Jeshurun. People like Sam Freedman, Richard Bernstein, and Jan Hoffman of the New York Times are members. Harvey Cox, Elie Wiesel, and William Sloan Coffin were close friends. After the rabbi's untimely death, Jane Isay had urged his widow, Naomi Meyer, partner in faith and action, to create a book from his writings so that his voice would not be silenced forever. Instead of finding the yellowing pages of rabbinic prose or the dry papers of a rabbi-scholar, Jane Isay encountered a powerful voice that implores readers to see the cruelty of our greedy world, begging them to understand the pain of the oppressed, urging them to awaken from their slumber of inactivity, and directing them to act for justice out of respect for the great prophetic vision that is the Jewish gift to civilization. There is a long Jewish tradition of master rabbis, who attract large followings through their lives and whose teachings live long after they die. The writings collected in this gem of a book combine the best of Jewish prophecy with social action and a great sense of joyfulness. Pubishers Weekly writes, "When Meyer died in 1993, he was only 64 years old, but it was as if he had already lived two very full lives. In the first, he worked as a rabbi in Argentina for 25 years and spoke out frequently against the repressive government. He founded Latin America's first rabbinical seminary and ran an "underground railroad" that helped people escape the country. In the second, he resuscitated a dying synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side and made it one of the most outspoken, active and thriving Jewish congregations in America. Isay, who was one of Meyer's New York congregants, brings her professional skills as an editor to bear on his considerable corpus of papers, which startled her with their power and relevance. "I felt as if I were encountering a burning bush on every page," she records in the book's introduction. Isay organizes the book into six basic spiritual themes-faith, confronting God in world events, war and peace, prayer, holy days and the "lessons of Argentina." In the brief excerpts, Meyer tells stories, preaches about justice and draws on biblical prophets like Amos, whom he affectionately calls "a subversive Jew." This is a powerful, fitting tribute to a man who "loved Judaism most because of its intolerance of cruelty."" Click the book cover above to read more. The Holy Thief A Con Man's Journey from Darkness to Light by Rabbi Mark Borovitz, and Alan Eisenstock William Morrow; (August 17, 2004) Save your "all rabbis are con artists" jokes for the sisterhood meetings, baby. At the age of 14, (Rabbi) Borovitz began selling stolen goods for the Cleveland mob to help support his family after his father's death. At 20, he started carrying a gun, but his "weapon of choice was a checkbook." He got into insurance frauds, armed robbery, and kiting checks. When two mobsters he had scammed put a hit out on him, Borovitz moved to Los Angeles and continued his life of "hustling, drinking, and madness." From 1982 to 1988, Borovitz, a Jew, was in and out of prison. In 1987, in the state prison in Chino, California, he began studying the Torah, was married in 1990 (to the co founder of Beit Teshuva), and, in the mid-1990s, ordained as a rabbi (University of Judaism). (His older brother Neal is also a Rabbi) He's now the spiritual leader of the chaplaincy at Beit T'Shuvah, the Los Angeles treatment center lauded by President Bush as faith-based initiative at its best. It is an in-patient rehab center in Los Angeles, designed to serve Jewish drug and alcohol addicts. Reading like fiction, it's nevertheless a true story. Mark Oppenheimer, writing for NextBook, wrote, "Rabbi Mark Borovitz's memoir of how prison Torah study turned an alcoholic grifter and check-kiter into a successful rehabilitator of Jewish cokeheads, gamblers, and other addicts, is a blustering and grandiose book, marred by clich�s and solecisms. And yet I liked The Holy Thief: A Con Man's Journey from Darkness to Light, very much. There have been so many bad recovery memoirs cultivating readers' cynicism that one can forget how amazing the redemption of a human soul is; something about the blunt, antiliterary voice of Borovitz (or, more probably, his co-writer, Alan Eisenstock) perfectly conveys the hustler, the tough Jew who turns his talent for persuasion to better ends." Click the book cover above to read more. ASK THE BIBLE The 400 Most Commonly Asked Questions About the Old Testament by Rabbi Morry Sofer Schreiber Publishing, Inc.; (September 25, 2004) Who were The three patriarchs of Israel? The three matriarchs? The first three kings of Israel? The place where the law was given to Israelites? Name The city of David? Who was Nahum? Was Joel a prophet? Who was he? Why are Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jeremiah considered "literary" prophets? Why did Judah last longer than Israel? In 1 Samuel, why didn't the ark of the covenant protect Israel's army? Was the brass erpent of Moses magical? Why is Psalm 18, a war psalm, included in the peaceful Book of Psalms? Does David proclaim himself a son of God in Psalm 2? "Ask the Bible" looks at questions people everywhere have been asking for ages. The answers respect all faiths. Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut has already praised this clear, well written book. Many questions reach deeply into human existence, ranging from the origins of the universe to the problem of good and evil. The purpose of this book is to look at the questions that have been most often asked by all sorts of people, from biblical scholars to people with very little knowledge of the Bible, and through an honest discussion, based on general and unbiased knowledge and the opinions of many scholars throughout the ages, offer sensible answers which hopefully will help the reader form his or her own view, and thereby gain a better understanding of the Bible. Click the book cover above to read more. The Lord Is My Shepherd by Rabbi HAROLD S. KUSHNER Now in Paperback Anchor; Summer 2004 A new book of practical spirituality, of inspiration and encouragement gleaned from what may be the best-known and best-loved chapter in the Bible: the Twenty-third Psalm. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." So begins the psalm that, for millennia, has been a source of comfort in grief and of courage in fear. Now Harold Kushner discovers what it has to teach us about living our day-to-day lives. Each chapter discusses one line of the psalm in the context of both the time when it was written and the present day, and illuminates the life lessons contained within it. For example, Kushner shows us that the phrase "My cup runneth over" is a declaration of our gratitude for what life has given us and a rejection of the envy we may feel for what others have. And he draws on the ideas and thoughts of various spiritual figures-from G. K. Chesterton to Martin Buber to Paul Tillich-to further expand our understanding of this great psalm and help us benefit from its everyday spiritual wisdom. Harold S. Kushner is Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts, where he lives. This is his ninth book. Click the book cover above to read more. FLOATING TAKES FAITH Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World by Rabbi DAVID WOLPE Behrman; September 2004 When Rabbi Wolpe isn't busy telling his Los Angeles congregants to be more patient at the kiddush cake and pastry tables, he writes informative books. After six years away from the literary scene, Rabbi David J. Wolpe has returned with a remarkable collection of intellectually powerful and thoughtful essays--the best of his five years of writing for the New York Jewish Week. Wolpe explores Jewish tradition as it has shaped his own life experiences--as the grandson of an immigrant, as a student of world history, and as a person living a Jewish life in a diverse and evolving society. Drawing on the insights of sources as diverse as Robert Frost, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Lily Tomlin, and Ernest Hemingway, Wolpe brings together a remarkably varied group of writers and thinkers, combining their insights with his own into a series of keen and penetrating observations about the world in which we live. Wolpe focuses his spiritual and intellectual microscope on such unlikely companions as Louis XIV and King David, Beowulf and Ezekiel. Paradoxically, it is his keen eye for details such as the books in his father's library, and the observations of physicist Richard Feynman on the sources of creativity, that allow him to offer us a broad, panoramic view of our world. He creates a bridge between the lessons of these literary and historical figures, together with the lessons from his own life, and the modern American Jewish experience. Here is an excerpt of one of his MUSINGS: Jewish events are notorious for starting late. The clock seems to move all too swiftly for this people whose span is measured not in minutes but in millennia. So we are leisurely about beginnings. The Zionist leader Nahum Goldmann once said, "I tried my whole life to come late to a Jewish meeting and never succeeded." Strangely, however, Jewish law depends on precision in the measurement of time. Sabbaths and holidays have specific starting times. Ritual observances such as mourning have definite time-bound cycles. We seem caught between the rigor of ritual and the languor of social occasions. Perhaps each clock counterbalances the other. Centuries of wandering do not always permit a fixed and insistent attitude toward time. Flexibility and patience are virtues cultivated by our uneasy history. Still, we did not allow tribulation to override obligation. For all the uncertainty in the world, there was certainty in our souls. Our spiritual clocks remain fine-tuned. Insistent on the rhythms of our devotion, we have also made allowances for the unpredictability of circumstance. In other words, often it is a matter of finding parking. Click the book cover above to read more. In the Beginning A Short History of the Hebrew Language by Rabbi Joel M. Hoffman August 2004. NYU Press. Hebrew as a language is just over 3,000 years old, and the story of its alphabet is unique among the languages of the world. Hebrew set the stage for almost every modern alphabet, and was arguably the first written language simple enough for everyone, not just scribes, to learn, making it possible to make a written record available to the masses for the first time. Written language has existed for so many years-since around 3500 BCE-that most of us take it for granted. But as Hoffman reveals in this entertaining and informative work, even the idea that speech can be divided into units called "words" and that these words can be represented with marks on a page, had to be discovered. As Hoffman points out, almost every modern system of writing descends from Hebrew; by studying the history of this language, we can learn a good deal about how we express ourselves today. Hoffman follows and decodes the adventure that is the history of Hebrew, illuminating how the written record has survived, the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls and ancient translations, and attempts to determine how the language actually sounded. He places these developments into a historical context, and shows their continuing impact on the modern world. This sweeping history traces Hebrew's development as one of the first languages to make use of vowels. Hoffman also covers the dramatic story of the rebirth of Hebrew as a modern, spoken language. Packed with lively information about language and linguistics and history, In the Beginning is essential reading for both newcomers and scholars interested in learning more about Hebrew and languages in general. Click the book cover above to read more. FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH THE NEW ENCOUNTER BETWEEN JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg Irving Greenberg Summer 2004, Jewish Publication Society. Rabbi Greenberg's new book makes an invaluable contribution to interfaith conversation. He calls for Christians and Jews to come together in their continuously evolving partnership with God-dual covenants that demand "openness to each other, learning from each other, and a respect for the distinctiveness of the ongoing validity of each other." Now, when the resurgence of anti-Semitism poses a threat to Jews here and around the world, this powerful book presents a new opportunity to heed the call first put forward by Rabbi Greenberg nearly four decades ago: a call for people of all faiths and cultures to work together to create a world in which everyone can live with dignity and equality-the deserved inheritance of a humanity created in the image of God. In the first half of his book, Rabbi Greenberg takes us on his personal journey to a rethinking of Christianity, which ultimately gave rise to his belief that Christianity, Judaism (and every religion that works to repair the world and advance the triumph of life) are valid expressions of the pact between God and humankind. In Part 2 he brings together for the first time his seven most important essays on the new encounters between Judaism and Christianity. Click the book cover above to read more. RENEWING JEWISH FAITH by Rabbi Irwin Groner, Rabbi of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield MI. August 2004. University of Michigan Press. Lively. It addresses Jewish values and beliefs in a collection of sermons. In FOLK, the first section, the book addresses family, faith, freedom, forgiveness, and the future. Click the book cover above to read more. Eyewitness to Jewish History by Rabbi Benjamin Blech John Wiley & Sons, Summer 2004 Rabbi Blech is a best selling, prolific Jewish author, and a respected teacher at Yeshiva University. In Eyewitness to Jewish History, Rabbi Benjamin Blech takes you aboard a literary time machine in which you'll do more than read about major events in Jewish history--you'll witness them, take part in them, and feel their deep and lasting impact. Featuring hundreds of excerpts from diaries, journals, letters, newspaper accounts, public testimony, official communications, and ancient documents such as the Torah, this unique chronicle provides memorable snapshots of daily life from biblical times to the modern day. These vivid and passionately written accounts, arranged in chronological order, transport you across space and time to witness: The birth of the Jewish people; The building and destruction of the two Temples; The struggle to survive in the early years of the Diaspora; The Golden Age of Spain; Persecutions and expulsions throughout Europe; The horrors of the Holocaust; The founding of the modern state of Israel; and much more. Traveling in this literary time machine, you'll meet Abraham and witness the birth of the Jewish people, flee with Moses from Egypt and ascend Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, and struggle with the prophet Samuel over the formation of the Kingdom of Judea. You'll be there the first time the Torah is translated from Hebrew into another language, labor with Talmudic scholars to preserve and interpret Judaic Oral Law, and revel in Jewish accomplishments during the Golden Age of Spain. A good Bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah gift. Click the book cover above to read more. The Hasidic Masters' Guide to Management by Moshe Kranc Pitsopany Devorah Combines Hasidic stories and parables, the insightful cartoon satire of Dilbert, and modern day examples from the corporate world, to create a readable and practical guide for both the novice and experienced manager. It's all here. The art of - Motivating and Communicating, Setting Realistic Objectives, Hiring and Firing, Measuring Performance, Developing Dedicated People, Handling Success and Failure, Dealing with the Competition. Click the book cover above to read more. Spiritually Healing the Indigo Children by Rabbi Wayne Dosick, and Ellen Kaufman Jodere Group Rabbi Wayne Dosick is the Spiritual Guide of The Elijah Minyan and an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego. He is the author of several critically acclaimed books, including The Golden Rules: The Ten Ethical Values Parents Need to Teach Their Children and Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish Belief, Tradition, and Practice. A popular speaker and workshop leader, Rabbi Dosick speaks to the audience across the country about spiritual and ethical issues. In this book and manual, he and his wife, find solutions for raising the kids do not fit in, who are emotional and feeling, who are old souls, and who are pigeon-holed by others into ADD ADHD and ODD groupings and drugged with Ritalin. This books should be read by educators and anyone who knows an ADHD child or adult. Click the book cover above to read more. Eyewitness to Jewish History by Rabbi Benjamin Blech August 2004. Wiley. Click the book cover above to read more. THE RABBI OF 84TH STREET THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF HASKEL BESSER by WARREN KOZAK July 2004. HarperCollins. At age 81, Rabbi Besser, a scholar of classical music, Hassidism and Jewish law, still holds a daily Torah class at 6:30 am at a very tiny shtibl on Manhattan's Upper West Side. This is the story of this remarkable and loved man. Click the book cover above to read more. The Eternal Journey Meditations on the Jewish Year by Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, New North London Synagogue Spring 2004. Aviv. In this series of essays organized around the Jewish calendar, Jonathan Wittenberg engages with moral and theological questions -- the relationship between God and the Holocaust, humanity's responsibility for its actions, the transience of life -- in language that is both precise and passionate. His meditations on the wonders of the natural world and the impact of intergenerational memory invite readers to consider the religious essence of everyday life. Click the book cover above to read more. Our Haven and Our Strength The Book of Psalms by Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen (Shelter Rock Jewish Center) Spring 2004. Aviv. This edition of the Book of Psalms features the Hebrew text with a fresh gender-neutral translation, inviting readers to experience the poetry of each psalm. Rabbi Martin S. Cohen's probing commentary focuses on the spiritual intent of each psalm and bridges the worldview of the psalmist with the perspective of the modern reader. Click the book cover above to read more. Introducing My Faith and My Community The Jewish Outreach Institute Guide for the Christian in a Jewish Interfaith Relationship by Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky June 2004. Jewish Lights. PW writes: The premise of this welcome wagon for Christians with Jewish partners or relatives derives from the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger. In a personable, accessible manner, Olitzky, author and director of the Jewish Outreach Institute, explains the profound concepts that differentiate Judaism from other religions, from its diverse views of God and perspectives on resurrection to its holidays and food. The basic concepts he outlines can be a first step to sharing a "common language for family conversations, celebrations and ceremonies," creating a sense of comfort instead of alienation. The book is divided into four chapters that Olitzky describes as the cornerstones of Judaism: faith, values, culture and community. Because some Jews may identify only with one aspect of Judaism, non-Jews don't often understand why Jewishness remains critical to those who don't practice it faithfully, "probably the biggest disconnect about Judaism for non-Jews." He outlines the differences in observance among the denominations of Judaism and calls community both a powerful force of goodness as well as a potentially forbidding and difficult place to enter. "Next steps" for deeper understanding and a glossary round out the basics. Olitzky's inviting take on Judaism-especially its theological underpinnings- makes for engrossing reading. Click the book cover above to read more. The Holy Thief A Con Man's Journey from Darkness to Light by Rabbi Mark Borovitz, and Alan Eisenstock William Morrow; (August 17, 2004) Save your "all rabbis are con artists" jokes for the sisterhood meetings, baby. At the age of 14, (Rabbi) Borovitz began selling stolen goods for the Cleveland mob to help support his family after his father's death. At 20, he started carrying a gun, but his "weapon of choice was a checkbook." He got into insurance frauds, armed robbery, and kiting checks. When two mobsters he had scammed put a hit out on him, Borovitz moved to Los Angeles and continued his life of "hustling, drinking, and madness." From 1982 to 1988, Borovitz, a Jew, was in and out of prison. In 1987, in the state prison in Chino, California, he began studying the Torah, was married in 1990 (to the co founder of Beit Teshuva), and, in the mid-1990s, ordained as a rabbi (University of Judaism). (His older brother Neal is also a Rabbi) He's now the spiritual leader of the chaplaincy at Beit T'Shuvah, the Los Angeles treatment center lauded by President Bush as faith-based initiative at its best. It is an in-patient rehab center in Los Angeles, designed to serve Jewish drug and alcohol addicts. Reading like fiction, it's nevertheless a true story. Mark Oppenheimer, writing for NextBook, wrote, "Rabbi Mark Borovitz's memoir of how prison Torah study turned an alcoholic grifter and check-kiter into a successful rehabilitator of Jewish cokeheads, gamblers, and other addicts, is a blustering and grandiose book, marred by clich�s and solecisms. And yet I liked The Holy Thief: A Con Man's Journey from Darkness to Light, very much. There have been so many bad recovery memoirs cultivating readers' cynicism that one can forget how amazing the redemption of a human soul is; something about the blunt, antiliterary voice of Borovitz (or, more probably, his co-writer, Alan Eisenstock) perfectly conveys the hustler, the tough Jew who turns his talent for persuasion to better ends." Click the book cover above to read more. The Eternal Journey Our Haven and Our Strength The Book of Psalms by Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen (Shelter Rock Jewish Center) Spring 2004. Aviv. This edition of the Book of Psalms features the Hebrew text with a fresh gender-neutral translation, inviting readers to experience the poetry of each psalm. Rabbi Martin S. Cohen's probing commentary focuses on the spiritual intent of each psalm and bridges the worldview of the psalmist with the perspective of the modern reader. Click the book cover above to read more. You Are My Witness The Living Words of Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Edited by Jane Isay, Writings from Marshall T. Meyer and Naomi Meyer September 2004. St Martins Press. Click the book cover above to read more. <