Kategoria BISAC: Religion >> Judaism - General

How can my congregation transform itself? How can we re-dedicate ourselves to learning?

Improving spiritual connection in our communities takes work Combining expert advice and experience garnered from congregations throughout North America, Becoming a Congregation of Learners shows us how transformative change is possible. A complete resource full of ideas, information and support, this is a guide for those of us involved in, or interested in, energizing our spiritual communities.

Isa Aron, director of Hebrew Union College's Experiment in...

Create a meaningful and happy Hanukkah in your home--with story, celebration, food and song.

This newly-designed, easy-to-use edition of a classic spiritual sourcebook offers updated information, more family ideas, and new resources for every aspect of your holiday celebration.

Information on every aspect of Hanukkah is covered, including:

• The story of Hanukkah
• Celebrating--for families of every constellation
• Songs and prayers in English, Hebrew and Yiddish (with clear transliterations)
• Recipes for traditional and modern Hanukkah...

A window into the Jewish soul--written especially for Christians.

"I invite you to explore with me some of the rich and varied expressions of the Jewish spiritual imagination. It is a tradition that may at times, for Christians, feel strangely familiar and will, for Christians and Jews, always challenge you to see yourself and your world through a new lens."
--from the Introduction

Jewish spirituality is an approach to life that encourages us to become aware of God's presence and purpose, even in unlikely places. "This world and everything in it is a manifestation...

How can my congregation become more vital?
How can we both honor the past and embrace the future?

" The Self-Renewing Congregation] calls for 'renewal'...from within, not without--a renewal that begins with institutional self-reflection, proceeds through a process of self-engagement, and ends with self-generated innovations that can deepen the synagogue congregation as a sacred community. The core of this book offers any congregation seeking this path a compelling and realistic roadmap, a vision, and a process that is rooted in applied research and practical...

The quest for spirituality is universal, but with so many paths of spiritual nourishment to explore, how do we begin to find the one that is right for us?

Our tradition provides us with appropriate vehicles to express our spirituality within the framework of Judaism. Jewish sages, taking into account the need and makeup of the individual Jew, have been very generous in outlining for us various alternatives . As you become aware of your emotional and intellectual needs, and search for an appropriate path to meet them with integrity, you will soon realize that you have a...

Straightforward and nonjudgmental advice for dating couples, partners,
husbands and wives, in-laws, counselors and others.

Interfaith relationships are commonplace; the challenges that go along with them are not. An interfaith couple will have to confront tough questions, yet it's often difficult to find answers, especially when traditional sources of help--family, friends, clergy and counselors--are unable or unwilling to understand the problems.

From a Jewish perspective, this book guides interfaith couples at any stage of their relationship--from dating and...

If your marriage must come to an end, do it the right way--with wisdom, practicality and understanding.

What does Judaism tell you about divorce? What guidance, strength and insight can Judaism provide?

In this first-of-its-kind handbook, Perry Netter--divorce, father, congregational rabbi and pastoral counselor--shows how wholeness can be found in the midst of separation and divorce. With a title drawn from the words of the eleventh-century biblical commentator known as Rashi, Divorce Is a Mitzvah provides practical wisdom, information and strength from a...

The Jewish community has lost some of the most sensitive spiritual souls of this generation. They are Jews who were looking for God and found spiritual homes outside of Judaism. Their journeys traversed the Jewish community, but nothing there beckoned them. The creation of synagogue-communities in which the voices of seekers can be heard and their questions can be asked will challenge many loyalist Jews. It will upset and enrage them. But it would also enrich them.
--from Chapter 18

In this fresh look at the spiritual possibilities of American Jewish life, Rabbi Sidney Schwarz...

You can understand your Jewish friends and loved ones more fully. A hands-on guide to the most important questions.

Introducing My Faith and My Community provides an introduction to both the basics and complexities of Judaism and Jewish life through the lens of an interfaith relationship. Rather than providing stock answers to questions about Jewish rituals or values, or giving a broad overview of Jewish history and theology, Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky addresses topics that will encourage understanding and stimulate discussion between you and your Jewish partner, relative...

We live in two seemingly incompatible worlds--rational and spiritual.
How can we keep our balance?

Like the dolphin who exists in both water and air, so must we learn to live and thrive in two conflicting worlds--the rational, material, everyday craziness of life versus the still, spiritual soulfulness of our deepest selves. Balancing the two--difficult as it often can be--is the key to our spiritual survival.

Through poignant stories, spiritual teaching and insights, Karyn Kedar shares with us the ways we can integrate the everyday--family, work, personal...

Explore your experiences, relationships, and feelings through this guided tour of
journal-keeping in Jewish tradition.

Journaling has been, and remains, an inherently Jewish activity. From the Kabbalist mystics who recorded their practices of reaching altered states of consciousness, to the more recent journals of those who lived during the Holocaust, to the spiritual precedent for Jewish journal-keeping at holy times of the year, writing, recording, and reflecting have long been a part of Jewish custom.

Janet Ruth Falon delves into the practical aspects of...

The essential guide to Jewish fun in the classroom

This celebration of Jewish life is the ideal guide for teachers who want to put a new spin on classroom holiday celebrations, lessons on Jewish traditions, and everyday activities. The Jewish Lights Book of Fun Classroom Activities is full of crafts, recipes, games, and history that will captivate your class and help your students connect with Judaism in fun, creative ways.

With over eighty easy-to-do activities that re-invigorate age-old Jewish customs and make them fun for students and teachers alike,...

Share in the wisdom of the model of leadership--tap into your own potential for greatness

Leaders are not simply born; they are molded through life's victories and failures, triumphs and defeats. No one exemplifies this process better than Moses, the most important and celebrated character in the Hebrew Bible. Faced with great internal and external challenges, he was sculpted into a great leader not only by circumstance, but also by his own determination and devotion to his people.

In this powerful and probing examination of the enduring texts in the biblical tradition,...

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,...

The words of Jewish women to inspire, enlighten and enrich your life.

is the definitive collection of ideas, reflections, humor, and wit by Jewish women. Compiler Elaine Bernstein Partnow (The Quotable Woman) brings together the voices of over 300 women including women of the Bible, actors, poets, humorists, scientists, and literary and political figures whose ideas, activism, service, talent, and labor have touched the world.

Quoted women include:

Bella Abzug Hannah Arendt Lauren Bacall Aviel Barclay Judy Blume Susan Brownmiller Judy Chicago Jennifer...

A practical guide for envisioning--and transforming--your synagogue into a powerful new congregation of welcoming, learning and healing. "The new synagogue we envision is a spiritual center for all those who set foot inside it. It is a kehillah kedoshah, a sacred community, where relationships are paramount, where worship is engaging, where everyone is learning, where repair of the world is a moral imperative, where healing is offered, where personal and institutional transformation are embraced. The times are ripe for this spiritual call." --from the Introduction So often we want our...

A critical and challenging look at reinventing the synagogue, as the centerpiece of a refashioned Jewish community.

"America is undergoing a spiritual revolution: only the fourth religious awakening in its history. I plead, therefore, for an equally spiritual synagogue, knowing that any North American Jewish community that hopes to be around in a hundred years must have religion at its center, with the synagogue, the religious institution that best fits North American culture, at its very core."
--from Chapter 1

Synagogues are under attack, and for good reasons....

Being Jewish. What does it mean--today--and for the future? Listen in as Jews of all backgrounds reflect, argue, and imagine.

When Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered in Pakistan, many Jews were particularly touched by his last words affirming his Jewish identity. Many were moved to reflect on or analyze their feelings toward their lives as Jews.

The saying "two Jews, three opinions" well reflects the Jewish community's broad range of views on any topic. I Am Jewish captures this richness of interpretation and inspires...