Jewish Spirituality

The Gates of Prayer: Twelve Talks on Davvenology is a collection of talks given by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (better known as Reb Zalman) to a group of students in his home in Boulder, Colorado, in 2009-2010. The talks focus on "davvenology", a term coined by Schachter-Shalomi, meaning "entering deeply into a prayer relationship with God".

After a decade as a political speechwriter - serving as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama, a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama, and chief speechwriter for Hillary Clinton on her 2008 presidential campaign - Sarah Hurwitz decided to apply her skills as a communicator to writing a book...about Judaism. And no one is more surprised than she is. Sarah Hurwitz is on a mission to close this gap by sharing the profound insights she discovered on everything from Jewish holidays, ethics, and prayer to Jewish conceptions of God, death, and social justice.

Distinguished philosopher Hilary Putnam, who is also a practicing Jew, questions the thought of three major Jewish philosophers of the 20th century - Franz Rosenzweig, Martin Buber, and Emmanuel Levinas -- to help him reconcile the philosophical and religious sides of his life. An additional presence in the book is Ludwig Wittgenstein, who, although not a practicing Jew, thought about religion in ways that Putnam juxtaposes to the views of Rosenzweig, Buber, and Levinas.

There are three main ways one can look at the Book of Psalms. For many, it is a book of one hundred 50 beautifully written poems. For some, it is the legacy of the most powerful king to ever rule. And for others, it is their connection to God. In this translation of the Book of Psalms, understanding the words won’t be your job, choosing which way to look at it will.

What is a soul? What happens to us after we physically die? What is consciousness, and can it survive without a physical brain? Can we remember our past lives? Do near-death experiences prove immortality? How does reincarnation really work? Drawing from ancient Jewish wisdom and a modern understanding of consciousness, Rav Pinson explores the possibility of surviving death, the near-death experience, and a glimpse into what awaits us after this life.

Discover the ultimate essence of Kabbalah, and uncover the secrets in Zohar! Have you ever thought Kabbalah and its contents are beyond your level of comprehension? Have you ever wondered if you could get an audiobook that explains the deep topics of Kabbalah in simple language? If yes, then you have come to the right place.

From award-winning scholar John Bergsma comes an intriguing audiobook that reveals new insights on the Essenes, a radical Jewish community predating Christianity, whose existence, beliefs, and practices are often overlooked in the annuls of history. Bergsma reveals how this Jewish sect directly influenced the beliefs, sacraments, and practices of early Christianity and offers new information on how Christians lived their lives, worshiped, and eventually went on to influence the Roman Empire and Western civilization.

What would it be like for modern listeners to sit down beside Jesus as he explained the Bible to them? What life-changing insights might emerge from such a transformative encounter? Lois Tverberg knows the treasures that await listeners willing to learn how to see the Bible through Jewish eyes. By helping them understand the Bible as Jesus and his first-century listeners would have, she bridges the gaps of time and culture in order to open the Bible to listeners today.

The Kabbalah beginners guide makes a deep and mysterious subject easier to understand. It uncovers the secrecy that many people are intimidated by it. This book is the perfect introduction to the Kabbalah. It's written in plain English, and it covers everything from the history of the Kabbalah to its modern applications. In this book, you will discover the Kabbalah is the ancient spiritual tradition of Judaism that explores the nature of God and the universe.

When Christians learn about Jewish tradition and history, they see the Bible and the life of Jesus with a new and enriched perspective. Knowing more about Judaism brings them closer to Jesus because Jesus lived and died as a Jew and consistently quoted the Jewish scripture and stories. In this book Evan Moffic, popular rabbi, author, and guide to Jewish wisdom for people of all faiths, continues the What Every Christian Needs to Know About series with an exploration of the wisdom and traditions of Judaism.

Be inspired by Esther, an incredible woman of God. Esther was willing to risk her life for the welfare of her people and the furthering of God's plan. Strategically positioned by God in a place of influence, Esther is a powerful biblical example of how God can use anyone. She answered God's call and went through a season of preparation physically and spiritually to get ready. It doesn't matter where you came from or what skills and talents you have; if you let him, God can use your life for his glory!

The ups and downs of the economy prove Rabbi Daniel Lapin's famous principle that the more things change, the more we need to depend upon the things that never change. There's no better source for both practical and spiritual financial wisdom than the time-tested knowledge found in the ancient Jewish faith and its culture. In the second edition of Thou Shall Prosper, Lapin offers a practical approach to creating wealth based on the established principles of ancient Jewish wisdom.

Positive Judaism offers listeners of all backgrounds a pathway to enhanced well-being and happiness. Drawing on three thousand years of ancient wisdom and the modern science of well-being, Rabbi Levine challenges us with new ways to approach relationships, careers, health, and money to increase lifelong happiness. At the same time, Positive Judaism offers practical ways to cope with real life challenges like divorce, illness, loneliness, and job loss.

This weekend marks Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and one of the holiest times in the Jewish calendar. But what does that mean? Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Jewish faith, worship, culture, and customs in this fascinating best seller. Rabbi Alfred J. Kolatch reveals the reasons behind specific laws, practices, and ceremonies, shedding light on one of the world's oldest and most influential religions.

Are you frustrated with your life? Are you struggling to find breakthrough and feeling like you are spinning your wheels? Well, struggle no more! John Eckhardt shows you how to move from the mundane into the supernatural favor of God. The key is simply asking. Ask God to bless you. He will always hear and answer!

Guiding us through a rich tapestry of new discoveries and ancient scriptures, The Jewish Gospels makes the powerful case that our conventional understandings of Jesus and of the origins of Christianity are wrong. In Boyarin's scrupulously detailed account, the coming of the messiah was fully imagined in the ancient Jewish texts. Jesus, moreover, was embraced by many Jews as this person, and his core teachings were not at all a break from Jewish beliefs and teachings. Jesus and his followers, Boyarin reveals, were simply Jewish. 

Although she grew up following some holiday rituals, Abigail Pogrebin realized how little she knew about their foundational purpose and contemporary relevance; she wanted to understand what had kept these holidays alive and vibrant, some for thousands of years. Her curiosity led her to embark on an entire year of research, observation, and writing about the milestones on the religious calendar. Whether in search of a roadmap for Jewish life or a challenging probe into the architecture of Jewish tradition, listeners will be captivated, educated, and inspired by My Jewish Year.

Mussar is an illuminating, approachable, and highly practical set of teachings for cultivating personal growth and spiritual realization in the midst of day-to-day life. Here is an accessible and inspiring introduction to this Jewish spiritual path, which until lately has been best known in the world of Orthodox Judaism. The core teaching of Mussar is that our deepest essence is inherently pure and holy, but this inner radiance is obscured by extremes of emotion, desire, and bad habits.

A celebrated Israeli author explores the roots of the divide between religion and secularism in Israel today and offers a path to bridging the divide.

Widely recognized as one of the most respected and indispensable reference books on Jewish life, culture, tradition, and religion, Jewish Literacy covers every essential aspect of the Jewish people and Judaism. Rabbi Telushkin discusses everything from the Jewish Bible and Talmud to Jewish notions of ethics to antisemitism and the Holocaust; from the history of Jews around the world to Zionism and the politics of a Jewish state; from the significance of religious traditions and holidays to how they are practiced in daily life.