Download or read book Putting God on the Guest List Teacher s Guide written by Joanne Barrington Lipshutz and published by Jewish Lights Publishing. This book was released on 2005-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A teacher's guide to help both parent and child truly be present when the moment of Sinai is recreated in their lives. Offers inspiration and background to make participants more comfortable with the event and able to experience it more joyfully.
Download or read book Putting God on the Guest List written by Jeffrey K. Salkin and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book For Kids Putting God on Your Guest List written by Jeffrey K. Salkin and published by Jewish Lights Publishing. This book was released on 2007 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The kids' companion to the award-winning Putting God on the Guest List, 3rd Ed.: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah Used as an inspiring part of bar/bat mitzvah preparation for parents in hundreds of congregations around the world. Jewish youngsters and their parents need to turn inward at bar and bat mitzvah time and ask themselves these hard questions: "Why are we doing this? What does it all mean?" At last, a guide especially for kids, to help them spiritually prepare for their bar/bat mitzvah. Explains the core spiritual values of Judaism to young people in a language they can understand. Questions at the end of each chapter engage kids and let them offer their own thoughts. A special section helps parents and kids find places to perform acts of tzedakah to honor the event--newly revised and updated.
Download or read book Maimonides Spinoza and Us written by Marc Angel and published by Jewish Lights Publishing. This book was released on 2009 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A challenging look at two great Jewish philosophers, and what their thinking means to our understanding of God, truth, revelation and reason. Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) is Jewish history's greatest exponent of a rational, philosophically sound Judaism. He strove to reconcile the teachings of the Bible and rabbinic tradition with the principles of Aristotelian philosophy, arguing that religion and philosophy ultimately must arrive at the same truth. Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) is Jewish history's most illustrious "heretic." He believed that truth could be attained through reason alone, and that philosophy and religion were separate domains that could not be reconciled. His critique of the Bible and its teachings caused an intellectual and spiritual upheaval whose effects are still felt today. Rabbi Marc D. Angel discusses major themes in the writings of Maimonides and Spinoza to show us how modern people can deal with religion in an intellectually honest and meaningful way. From Maimonides, we gain insight on how to harmonize traditional religious belief with the dictates of reason. From Spinoza, we gain insight into the intellectual challenges which must be met by modern believers.
Download or read book Living Jewish Life Cycle written by Rabbi Goldie Milgram and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-10-03 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The spiritual tools you can use to infuse Jewish life cycle ceremonies with meaning, integrity and joy. Discover the spiritual meaning in Judaism’s major life cycle moments. Understand, create and enter wholeheartedly into Jewish life cycle ceremonies, preparatory practice, and celebrations. More than just how-to, Rabbi Goldie Milgram guides you in making your Jewish rites come alive with meaning, beauty and with lasting impact on you, your friends and family. She takes you beyond rote rites—beyond just surviving—and directly into accessing Jewish rites of passage as a force for thriving. With careful attention to both traditional and emerging practices across the full spectrum of Jewish life, Rabbi Milgram examines: Jewish Weddings, Traditional and Inclusive Rites Welcoming a New Baby and Raising a Healthy Jewish Child Meaningful, Memorable Adolescent and Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ritual Support for Many Stages of Adulthood Jewish Rituals for When Relationships End Jewish Approaches to Dying, Death, Burial, Mourning and Remembering
Download or read book The Way Into Torah written by Dr. Norman J. Cohen and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2012-01-09 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An accessible introduction to how to read, study, and understand Torah—the Bible and related sacred texts that have grown up around it. For everyone who wants to understand Torah, this book shows the way into an essential aspect of Judaism, and allows you to interact directly with the sacred texts of the Jewish tradition. Guided by Dr. Norman J. Cohen, rabbi and professor of midrash at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, The Way Into Torah helps us explore the origins and development of Torah, why it should be studied, and how to do it. What Torah is. The texts, and beyond: Not simply the Five Books of Moses, Torah refers to much more than written words. The different approaches to studying Torah. The many ways Jews have interacted with Torah through the ages and how, by learning to read Torah ourselves,we can connect it to our lives today. The levels of understanding Torah. How Torah can come alive in different ways, at different times; and how new meanings of Torah are discovered by its readers. Why Torah study is a part of the Jewish experience. How it allows us to experience God’s presence—and why the Rabbis called Torah study more important even than belief in God. This guide offers an entrance into the world of Torah, and to its meaning for our lives. The Way Into Torah shows us why reading Torah is not the same as reading anything else—and enables us to become a part of a chain of Jewish tradition that began millennia ago, and remains unbroken today.
Download or read book Healing from Despair written by Elie Kaplan Spitz and published by Jewish Lights Publishing. This book was released on 2008 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despair imposes heavy burdens upon us. Under these burdens, you may find yourself in a deep, dark, lonely place, utterly overwhelmed, deeply depressed, even considering suicide. But what if within this misery you found you possessed the power to choose?to choose to move toward healing, to listen to a message of hope, to craft your true identity and find goodness in your life?This wise and helpful guide explores the nature of personal suffering and brokenness and the potential for personal crisis to be a source of strength and renewal instead of despair and death. Examining the personal journeys of biblical and historical figures such as Moses, Maimonides, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Buber?as well as the author?s own personal experience with despair?it looks at brokenness as an inescapable element of the human condition. It traces the path of suffering from despair to depression to desperation to the turning point?healing?when first-hand knowledge of suffering can be transformed into blessing.Whether you have encountered despair and depression personally?through illness, loss, trauma or betrayal?or you know someone who is struggling with brokenness, this book will provide an informative, safe and comforting look at the nature of despair and the ways we can overcome it.
Download or read book Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth written by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-10-20 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Glory and Grief, Humor and Pride of the Human Experience— Inspiration from a Jewish Perspective From exile to rebirth, from degradation to renaissance, the Jewish People has undergone every human experience and emotion that God created. In this inspiring collection of stories, award-winning anthologist Dov Peretz Elkins captures the best and worst of Jewish experience in these spine-tingling tales of courage, devotion, passion and extraordinary achievement. Elkins taps the famous and the not-so-famous, world-renowned figures and the little-known “person next door,” for stories that illustrate the wonder, meaning, and purpose of life as viewed through the lens of Judaism’s core values. Though drawn from the Jewish tradition, these universal stories of kindness, hope, faith and discovery will intrigue the minds and warm the hearts of people from all walks of life.
Download or read book The Wisdom of Judaism written by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-06-24 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the Talmud and its universal values for all people. While the Hebrew Bible is the cornerstone of Judaism, it is the Talmud that provides many central values for living. The Talmud sets out specific guidelines and lyrical admonitions regarding many of life's ordinary events, and offers profound words of advice for life’s most intractable dilemmas. This accessible introduction to the Talmud explores the essence of Judaism through reflections on the words of the rabbinic sages, from one of American Judaism’s foremost teachers and writers, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins. Dr. Elkins provides fresh insight into ancient aphorisms and shows you how they can be applied to your life today. Topics include: Kindness through Giving, Welcoming and Sharing; Human Relationships; Personal Values; Family Values; Teaching and Learning; and Life’s Puzzles. Enlightening and inspiring, the values of the Talmud can be appreciated not just by Jews, but by anyone seeking a greater understanding of life and its mysteries.
Download or read book Jewish Spiritual Direction written by Rabbi Howard A. Addison and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-10-06 with total page 443 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first comprehensive resource for spiritual direction in the Jewish tradition— a vital resource for people involved in spiritual leadership. The essential reference for people who are called to help others listen for God’s voice—not only through prayer and sacred texts, but also through dance, art and interactions with other people—this groundbreaking volume draws on both Jewish tradition and the classical foundations of spiritual direction to provide invaluable guidance. Offering insight into all aspects of spiritual direction, including theology, practice, companionship, group work and embodied spirituality, the contributors to this guide are innovators in their fields and represent all four contemporary Jewish movements. Topics explored include: Jewish Theologies and Jewish Spiritual Direction • The Vocabulary of Jewish Spiritual Direction • Spiritual Direction as a Contemplative Practice • Contemplation and Social Action • Cultivating a Hearing Heart • Spiritual Types • Community for Spiritual Direction • Spiritual Direction and the Cycle of Holy Time • Spiritual Companionship and the Passages of Life • Jewish Spiritual Direction and the Sacred Body • Integrating Spiritual Direction and Visual Creativity • and many more ... An exciting and practical addition to an emerging field, this is the definitive guide for all who accompany Jewish seekers on their spiritual journeys.
Download or read book The Jewish Gardening Cookbook written by Michael Brown and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-09-29 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A down-to-earth approach to spirituality that links your garden with biblical tradition. “Perhaps you’re asking, ‘What is a “Jewish garden”?’ Though it is essentially a collection of plants, it’s really more than that. You don’t just grow plants in a Jewish garden; you incorporate them into your life. Some will help transport you to different times and places; others will provide your senses with aromas, tastes, and beauty. All will help you experience a more personal attachment to God and to Judaism.” —from the Introduction This guide shows how your gardening can sustain your spirit in new ways, whether you grow one fig tree on an apartment terrace, or five acres of wheat in the country. It may also help you realize, as never before, that for each fruit and vegetable associated with every holiday, there is a profound and sustaining reason. To ancient Jews, figs symbolized prosperity, grapes signified fertility, and olives represented the renewal of life. Barley was the chief cooking staple, and dates were a honey substitute. The Jewish Gardening Cookbook gives clear and easy-to-follow instructions on how these foods—and more—can be grown and used for holidays, festivals, and life cycle events. For example, following the cycle of the Jewish year, it explains how to grow apples to bake in apple-raisin-nut cake at Rosh Hashanah, potatoes for latkes at Hanukkah, and ways to maximize use of your zucchini crop with zucchini nut bread at Purim. The Jewish Gardening Cookbook provides tasty vegetarian recipes so that what you grow can be enjoyed during holiday meals, bringing our biblical past into our lives as people who have a profound relationship with the Land of Israel.
Download or read book Freedom Journeys written by Rabbi Arthur O. Waskow and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-02-01 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How does the story of the Exodus echo in our own generation and in our own lives? "For us to hear the Oneness of God, we must grow into a place where the cosmic and the political are deeply the same truth." —from Part V The story Jews retell on Passover is about rising up against tyranny, about the triumph of the God who sides with the despised against a resplendent emperor. Exploring how this tale applies to our own time enriches the ancient account—and it expands and transforms the community for which Exodus is a collective family story. Exodus is not only the saga of the escape from slavery, but also a story of courage, celebration, rebirth and community from which people of all faith traditions have learned and can continue to learn. Calling us to relearn and rethink the Passover story, Rabbi Arthur O. Waskow and Rabbi Phyllis O. Berman share: The enduring spiritual resonance of the Hebrews' journey for our own time Social justice, ecological and feminist perspectives on the Exodus How the Passover story has been adapted and used by African American as well as Christian and Muslim communities to provide insight and inspiration. With contributions by Dr. Vincent Harding: “Exodus in African America: A Great Camp Meeting” Dr. S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana: “Exodus in the Qur’an: Mercy, Compassion, and Forgiveness” Ched Myers and Russell Powell: “Exodus in the Life and Death of Jesus”
Download or read book Self Struggle Change written by Norman J. Cohen and published by Jewish Lights Publishing. This book was released on 1996-11 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do I find greater wholeness in my life and in my family's life? "To appreciate the importance of the Bible and gain insight about ourselves from it, both Jews and Christians can use the process of midrash: The attempt to find contemporary meaning in the biblical text. The term midrash comes from the Hebrew root darash which means to seek, search, or demand (meaning from the biblical text). The starting point of our search for personal meaning is the Bible itself.... Each generation, each reader, can approach the text anew and draw meaning from it." --from Self, Struggle & Change The stress of late-20th-century living only brings new variations to timeless personal struggles. The people described by the biblical writers of Genesis were in situations and relationships very much like our own, and their stories still speak to us because they are about the same basic problems we deal with every day. Learning from Adam and Eve, can we find the courage not only to face our other side, but to draw strength from it? Learning from Leah and Rachel, can we stop competing with our loved ones, and begin to accept them and find ourselves? Sarah, Hagar, Lot, Ishmael and Isaac, Rebekkah, Joseph and his brothers, Jacob and Esau...this vibrant cast of characters offers us new ways of understanding ourselves and our families and healing our lives. A modern master of biblical interpretation brings us greater understanding of the ancient biblical text, and of the insights its characters give us about ourselves and our families today. By bringing the people in Genesis to life--husbands and wives, fathers and sons, brothers and sisters-- Self, Struggle & Change shows us how to find wholeness in our lives.
Download or read book Inspired Jewish Leadership written by Dr. Erica Brown and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-10-15 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Help sustain the Jewish tradition’s legacy of community leadership by building strong leaders today. “Great Jewish leadership has helped us survive slavery, guided us to the Promised Land, given us hope through exile and oppression, helped us enjoy membership in a nation of overachievers, and given birth to the State of Israel. Great Jewish leadership generates vision and, as a result, followers. It inspires us and helps us to stretch higher, see farther, and reach deeper.” —from the Introduction Drawing on the past and looking to the future, this practical guide provides the tools you need to work through important contemporary leadership issues. It takes a broad look at positions of leadership in the modern Jewish community and the qualities and skills you need in order to succeed in these positions. Real-life anecdotes, interviews, and dialogue stimulate thinking about board development, ethical leadership, conflict resolution, change management, and effective succession planning. Whether you are a professional or a volunteer, are looking to develop your own personal leadership skills or are part of a group, this inspiring book provides information, interactive exercises, and questions for reflection to help you define leadership styles and theories, expose common myths, and coach others on the importance of leading with meaning.
Download or read book Rosh Hashanah Readings written by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-07-26 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A powerful collection of writings about Rosh Hashanah that will add depth and holiness to your experience of the spiritual New Year. This compelling companion to Yom Kippur Readings helps create a bridge between the words of our ancestors and the meanings, themes and ideas that are the central spiritual agenda of the life of the modern Jew. Drawn from a variety of sources—ancient, medieval, modern, Jewish and non-Jewish—this selection of readings, prayers and insights explores the opportunities for inspiration and reflection inherent in the subjects addressed on the Jewish New Year: sin, repentance, personal and social change, societal justice, forgiveness, spiritual growth, living with joy and hope, commitment to high ideals, becoming our truest and most authentic selves, deepening our capacity to love and savoring the divine gift of life. These readings enable you to enter into the spirit of Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe in a personal and powerful way while they uplift and inform. They will add to the benefits of your High Holy Day experience year after year.
Download or read book The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition written by Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-10-29 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An accessible introduction to the concepts of Jewish mysticism, their religious and spiritual significance, and how they relate to our lives. The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition allows us to experience and understand mysticism's inexpressible reverence before the awe and mystery of creation, and celebrate this rich tradition's quest to transform our ordinary reality into holiness.
Download or read book Empowered Judaism written by Rabbi Elie Kaunfer and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2012-12-16 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inside story and practical lessons from one of the most exciting developments in contemporary Judaism. Part description and part prescription, Empowered Judaism is a manifesto for transforming the way Jews pray andmore broadlyfor building vibrant Jewish communities. [It] represents the latest chapter in [an] uplifting history of religious creativity. This is a book that every Jewish leader will want to read and every serious Jew will want to contemplate. from the Foreword by Prof. Jonathan D. Sarna Why have thousands of young Jews, otherwise unengaged with formal Jewish life, started more than sixty innovative prayer communities across the United States? What crucial insights can these grassroots communities provide for all of us? Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, one of the leaders of this revolutionary phenomenon, offers refreshingly new analyses of the age-old question of how to build strong Jewish community. He explores the independent minyan movement and the lessons it has to teach about prayer, community organizing and volunteer leadership, and its implications for contemporary struggles in American Judaism. Along with describing the growth of independent minyanim across the country, he examines: The roles of liturgy, space, music and youth in this new approach to prayer Lessons to be learned from the concept of immersive, intensive Jewish learning in an egalitarian context Jewish values in which we must invest to achieve a vibrant, robust American Jewish landscape for the twenty-first century
