Bernstein; Jewish
Lights; $23.95.
This book cov-
ers territory often
overlooked . by reli-
giP today; mov-
ing away from his-
tory and human
Book of David,
drama, it refocuses
which redefines
our attention on
the meaning of
the natural world.
spirituality.
Bernstein, a
Part biography,
founder of
part novel,
Shomrei Adamah
— Keepers of the
Rosenberg's book
Earth, the first
lifts the original
institution dedicat-
story of David
ed to cultivating
out of its sur-
the ecological
rounding material
thinking and prac-
so that it becomes
tices integral to
the founding nar-
Jewish life,
rative of our spiri-
reminds us that
tual conscious-
reverence for
ness, creating the way we talk to
Creation and a
and think about God.
duty to protect the
Using original sources,
land always have
Rosenberg reinvents our idea of
been very much a
the spiritual warrior as well as
part of Jewish
the original language of spiritu-
thought.
ality. Portrayed as a figure with
.
Ecology leads us
virtues, flaws and ambitions,
on a journey to
David becomes a leader in
appreciate the spir-
whom we are able to recognize
itual and sacred
the leaders we are and the lead-
DAVID R.C.'SEN R6
that can be found
ers we choose.
everywhere on
God's earth and
ECOLOGY AND THE JEW-
brings greater understanding on the
ISH SPIRIT: WHERE NATURE
themes of nature found in the biblical
AND THE SACRED MEET; Edited
texts and tradition. It is
and with introduction by Ellen
printed, of course,
on recycled paper.

writers of the
Bible to be a
woman. Now,
Rosenberg, a
leading translator
of biblical poetry
and poetic prose,
returns with The

iil.
BOOK

DAVI D.

& bay

)

the jeA,

Spirit

The author is a professor of liturgy
at Hebrew Union-College Institute of
Religion and developer of "Synagogue
2000," a trans-denominational project
designed to envi-
sion and imple-
ment the ideal syn-
agogue of the spirit
for the 21st centu-

ry.

Using four basic
principles — antic-
ipation, approach,
acknowledgment
and afterthought
— Hoffman offers
everything from
prayers to poetry to
make the Israel
experience more
spiritually fulfilling.

EVERYDAY KAB-
BALAH: A PRAC-
TICAL GUIDE
TO JEWISH
MEDITATION,
HEALING AND
PERSONAL
GROWTH; By
Melinda Ribner;
Citadel Press;
$10.95.

David S. Ariel, Ph.D.; Hyperion;
$21.95.
For those wishing to reclaim a
Jewish spiritual life, Ariel's book is an
excellent resource.
Teaching spiritual
customs and tradi-
tions in a way practi-
cal for the modern
world, Ariel, presi-
dent of the Cleveland
College of Jewish
Studies, provides an
inspirational view of
the past and the
future.
Spiritual Judaism is
a way to connect to
the Jewish soul, to
find personal mean-
ing in prayer, service
and ritual, to find
holiness in the every-
day and to face suffer-
ing and loss with
strength and hope.
"In a calm, gentle,
reassuring voice of a
masterful teacher,
David Ariel analyzes
the problem of con-
temporary Jews seek-
ing spiritual nourish-
ment from their own
tradition, and then
clears a path to a deeper, richer inner
experience of God, prayer and Torah,"
writes Rodger Kamenetz, author of
Stalking Elijah and The Jew in the
Lotus.0

The Jewish mys-
ticism of Kabbalah
is ultimately a guide through the land-
scape of the inner self. Ribner, a psy-
chotherapist in private practice who
employs Jewish meditation as part of
therapeutic treatment,
provides a manual of
sorts for this jour-
ney, which inte-
grates various
ISRAEL — A
schools of kabbal-
SPIRITUAL
istic teaching.
TRAVEL GUIDE;
The reader is
By Rabbi Lawrence
presented with
A. Hoffman; Jewish
techniques in
Lights; $18.95.
visualization,
For those wish-
breathing and
ing to visit Israel as
A. Practical Guide
meditation —
a pilgrim rather
tools needed for
than as a tourist, be
self-discovery and
sure to pack this
self-transforma-
book along for the
tion — in an easy
journey. Whether
step-by-step
it's visiting Masada,
primer. Such care-
the Western Wall,
ful meditations can bring both
the Dead Sea or any of the other
physical and spiritual benefits
wondrous sites in Israel,
including stress-reduction and bol-
Hoffman guides the reader
stering self-esteem, asserts Ribner.
beyond the physical, preparing
him for the spiritual power that
SPIRITUAL JUDAISM:
resonates in these structures as
RESTORING HEART AND
well as describing their historical
J)AV
SOUL TO JEWISH LIFE; By
importance.

I [UAL

Jt ~

WHERE NATURE & THE SACRED MEE':

I D

DAISM

PI 1")

9/
19

Detroit Jewish News

