Amazing Chesed

Amazing Chesed
Author: Rabbi Rami Shapiro
Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2012-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1580236243

The question isn¿t whether grace¿ God¿s love freely given¿is there for you in Judaism. The question is, do you have the courage to accept it? Ask almost any Jew whether grace is a central concept in Judaism and an essential element in living Jewishly, and, chances are, their answer will be ¿no.¿ But that¿s the wrong answer. This fascinating foray into God¿s love freely given offers the reader a way to answer that question in the affirmative. Drawing from ancient and contemporary, traditional and non-traditional Jewish wisdom, this book reclaims the idea of grace in Judaism in three ways: ¿ It offers a view of God that helps the reader understand what grace is, why grace is, and how grace manifests in the world. ¿ It sets forth a reading of Judaism that is grace-filled: an understanding of creation, Shabbat and other Jewish practices from a grace-filled perspective. ¿ It challenges the reader to be embraced and transformed by grace, and to live life as a vehicle for God¿s grace, thereby fulfilling the promise of being created in God¿s image and likeness.

Increasing Wholeness

Increasing Wholeness
Author: Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz
Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2015-03-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1580238238

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

God & the Big Bang

God & the Big Bang
Author: Daniel Chanan Matt
Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing
Total Pages: 208
Release: 1996
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1879045893

By drawing on modern cosmology and ancient Kabbalah, the author shows how science and religion can together enrich our spiritual awareness and help us recover a sense of wonder and find our place in the universe.

Journey Together

Journey Together
Author: Sarah Hermelin
Publisher: Urim Publications
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2016-06-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9655242544

Offering a model of self-improvement rooted in Jewish thought and practice, Journey Together explains the mystical system of counting the Omer—a Jewish practice of counting the days between the holidays of Passover and Pentecost—focusing on a different personality characteristic on each of the 49 days. The author illustrates how each trait can be improved with easy-to-grasp examples from the Bible as well as inspirational modern-day stories. Each chapter concludes with exercises that parents and children can carry out together to help strengthen the family bond. This guide serves to make the counting of the Omer a transformative experience for families who take the time to apply its insights and lessons into their lives.

Being God's Beloved

Being God's Beloved
Author: Adrian D. van Breda
Publisher: WestBow Press
Total Pages: 253
Release: 2014-10-21
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1490853340

Many of us struggle to come to grips with the idea that God loves us. We may know it and believe it in our heads, but getting that into our hearts and into our lives is not easy. Sometimes what we have learned about God makes it even harder to really know that we are God's beloved. Being God's Beloved will lead you through forty reflections on what it means to be beloved of God, combining deep spirituality, thoughtful Bible study, and warm pastoral care. The reflections lead you on a journey from before creation, through the Old Testament, into the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and on to the presence of the Holy Spirit. It tells the great love story of God for the Creation over thousands of years. Providing fresh insights into well-known passages, making thoughtful use of word studies, and inviting us to think creatively about God in relation to the world, this book will immerse you in an awareness of God's love.

Spiritual Community

Spiritual Community
Author: Rabbi David A. Teutsch, PhD
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
Total Pages: 125
Release: 2013-01-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 158023707X

Reimagine the Possibilities for Your Own Congregation We all share a deep human need for meaning in our lives, a need to feel that we are part of something larger than ourselves. Yet many of us have discovered that successful careers, material affluence—even loving families—are not enough to satisfy this longing. And, too often, the congregations and organizations in which we seek greater meaning are uninspiring, or worse. The answer lies in belonging to a strong spiritual community—not just a collection of individuals but a dynamic, integrated congregation linked by commitment and vision, sustained by friendship and shared experience. But how to build it? Informative and encouraging, wise and practical, Spiritual Community looks at congregations and organizations—what they are and what they might become—and reveals the unique role they have the potential to play in refreshing our minds, transforming our hearts and giving our lives meaning. From establishing “radiant centers” to welcome people into the heart of the community, to reclaiming the power of ritual, to suggesting strategies for dealing with conflict—Rabbi Teutsch offers practical solutions to challenges congregations commonly face making themselves into spiritual communities. This is essential reading for every spiritual and lay leader—for anyone who wants to transform their congregation or organization into a strong spiritual community.

Judaism's Ten Best Ideas

Judaism's Ten Best Ideas
Author: Arthur Green
Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing
Total Pages: 113
Release: 2014-09-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1580238033

A welcoming introduction to the most important ideas in Judaism. In an age of fluid identity, many people are honestly asking the question “Why be Jewish?” What in this religious and ethnic legacy is worth preserving? Does Judaism have something unique to offer a contemporary seeker free to choose a way of life and a system of values? Here is the answer of a leading spiritual teacher who has faced these questions in conversation with generations of students. With warmth, humor, personal and rabbinic stories and down-to-earth explanations, Arthur Green presents the ideas in Judaism that kept him loyal to the tradition passed on to him. The result is an enticing look into timeless Jewish wisdom that will encourage you to explore further and search out the riches of Judaism for yourself.

The Magic of Hebrew Chant

The Magic of Hebrew Chant
Author: Rabbi Shefa Gold
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
Total Pages: 345
Release: 2013-04-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1580237479

A few short words—repeated with passion & intention—can unlock treasure upon treasure of healing, wisdom & love "Chant is a path for all of us who lead with our hearts, who are determined to seek out the truth that is buried deep beneath the ground of our lives, and who have made a commitment to live that truth, from moment to moment, breath to breath, 'one little bit at a time.'" —from the Introduction Chant is a meditative practice that fully engages the body, heart and mind, and facilitates healing and expansion of consciousness. Rabbi Shefa Gold, beloved teacher of chant, Jewish mysticism, prayer and spirituality, introduces you to this transformative spiritual practice as a way to unlock the power of sacred texts and take prayer and meditation into the delight of your life. She illuminates the usefulness, benefits and blessings of chant by: Teaching you the theory and foundations of chant—its relation to beauty, pleasure and the deep wisdom buried in sacred texts Providing—for the first time—complete musical notations for many of her popular chants and practical instruction for how to use them to cultivate self-awareness and love.

The Open Bible

The Open Bible
Author: Daniel Rendelman
Publisher: Daniel Rendelman
Total Pages: 438
Release: 2010-11-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1453830715

The Open Bible is your guide to the weekly Torah portion from a perspective focused on better understanding and applying the Word to every day life. This Messianic book is massive in scope but easy to understand thanks to the writing by Daniel Rendelman. With the Open Bible you know the Written Torah and the Living Torah. Use the Open Bible for personal study, group discussions, or as an instructional guide for your class or congregation. Each week you will read about the Messiah in the Torah, learn how to apply the Torah to your life, and find many discussion questions to aide your study. Learn more at www.emetministries.org.

Blessed the Merciful

Blessed the Merciful
Author: Benjamin A Vima
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Total Pages: 181
Release: 2016-02-19
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1490770550

The books title is taken from Jesus Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Expounding in detail in this book Rev. Vima stresses the Scriptural fact that at the end of disciples life their merciful acts are the ones that would covet the crown of heavenly blessedness as the Judge would pronounces to them, Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food The author also explains very elaborately the Biblical term CHESED as the remarkable backdrop to the Christian merciful deeds. He continues to augment his contention on CHESED by telling the readers about Jesus longing of his disciples to be perfect as their heavenly Father by performing merciful deeds and by performing those acts perfectly by imitating Gods CHESED of mercy, justice and fidelity. Author writes in his Introduction: This book is nothing but an outcome of my strong belief in an eternal fact of living a CHESED-oriented life: Without Gods CHESED we cannot survive but without our reciprocal CHESED we cannot be what we are designed to become. As the Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Mercy, author encourages the readers to listen and follow Pope Francis who, referring to the beatitudes, is quoted saying: If the church does not assume the sentiments of Jesus, it is disoriented, it loses its sense. Fr. Vima also dreams that those who read this book will be more inspired and sincere in their works of mercy during this year and the years to come.