Arts & Entertainment

Looking Ahead To 5769

Rabbi helps readers formulate a plan that is alive, organic and in sync with God.

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

R

abbi Sherre Hirsch did not write
her first book to mark the High
Holidays, but she certainly sees
connections.
We Plan, God Laughs: 10 Steps to Finding
Your Divine Path When Life Is Not Turning
Out Like You Wanted (Doubleday; $18.95)
is her approach to getting ahead and sug-
gests ways to realize the meaning of Judaic
devotion at this time of year.
"One of the things I talk about is
celebrating you [the reader], and Rosh
Hashanah is a celebration of the world:'
says Hirsch, who has been a rabbi at the
Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and now con-
nects with people through her Web site
(www.sherrehirsch.com ), lectures and
media appearances.
"When we celebrate the world, we cel-
ebrate each of God's creations, and when
we celebrate ourselves, we celebrate a
creation of God. I think that the ultimate
message of Rosh Hashanah comes with
the celebration of what God has created.
"On Yom Kippur, we look back, but we
can forget that the point of looking back is
to look forward. The goal is to get unstuck
and live differently today than we did yes-
terday [if that is productive]."
Hirsch used her one-on-one counseling
experiences to devise a 10-step plan for
dealing with problems people confront
— either as they face a new year or as
they cope with daily living.
Through the chapters of her book, the
rabbi encourages readers to explore what
has happened, end excuses, move into the
present, celebrate their divine selves, part-
ner with God, re-create their Creator, find
their divine spark, engage up, find mean-
ing and question.
"The steps came out of my life experi-
ences:' says Hirsch, 39, raised in a family
of 14 rabbis. "I had the idea for the book
before the actual steps, but I hadn't real-
ized I was going through the steps before I
labeled them.
`As I was writing, the steps sort of titled
and wrote themselves. The book naturally
broke into 10 steps, and the titles for them
came naturally. It was a very organic pro-
cess.
"I was inspired because I thought I had

PLAN,
GOD
LAUGHS

e sti Find

N'our
- Ile. Path When Life is Not

ing Out Like You Wantet

SHERRE 1- 11RSCH

Rabbi Sherre Hirsch: "There is always something more, something better."

something to share that would resonate
with people. A lot of the writing occurred
because people would thank me for the
ideas I would share!"
Hirsch, who grew up in southern
California, did not find her own divine
path until she earned a bachelor's degree
in American culture from Northwestern
University in Illinois.
After starting preparation for the rab-
binate, she needed a year to rethink her
choices and traveled through Asia to learn
about spirituality there before finishing
requirements at the Jewish Theological
Seminary in New York.
The first woman hired by the Sinai
Temple, she stayed for eight years
and worked with many celebrities.

Married to a doctor and the mother of
three, she began regular leadership of the
Jewish Women's Spirituality Retreat at
Canyon Ranch and regular presentations
of her views on programs like the Today
Show and Naomi Judd's New Morning.
Besides offering help to others, the book
allowed her to open up about her own life
as she discussed an abusive father and a
mother who found success with indepen-
dence.
"My father has passed away, and I've
made it a point that I hoped the book
would give him his due dignity;' says
Hirsch, who relaxes by swimming and
playing tennis. "Everybody who knew him
has said that without my prompting.
"However, before I published the book,

I did say that my mother and brother had
complete veto power. Originally, I thought
the book was my father's story, but it was
my mother's story
"Writing about my family has been
incredibly freeing for us. Our lives had
been a big secret, and I think a lot of
people carry around lots of secrets. My
mother, brother and I have a new level of
understanding and appreciation for one
another."
As Hirsch was working on her book
over four months, she decided to keep it
small in size so that readers could keep
it handy — maybe in glove compart-
ments of cars or in handbags. In this way,
she felt, inspiration could be within easy
reach.
"I'm not preaching, and the book is not
just self-help," the Conservative rabbi says.
"I think it enlightens readers about what
Jewish tradition has for both Jews and
non-Jews while enabling Jews to feel pride
in their religion.
"What makes it unique is how the ideas
are communicated so people can hear
them. I wanted to communicate some-
thing that people may or may not have
heard in a way that would make them
listen."
Although Hirsch had written articles
before tackling a book, the lengthier pro-
cess proved instructive.
"I learned I can sit for a long time
because it takes a long time to produce
1,500 words a day, and I learned to write
from the heart:" she explains. "I didn't
expect so many responses from people
who have contacted me through my
Web site, and that has been incredibly
gratifying. People from Israel, Africa and
Switzerland have sent me e-mails, and
this connection is part of finishing a
loop."
Hirsch, visiting Michigan in September
for an Israel Bonds fundraising event,
says her book is part of her larger goal as
a rabbi.
"I want to bring spirituality and
Judaism into the mass conversation in a
non-threatening way:' she says. "I want
rabbis to weigh in on issues. I want reli-
gion to be part of the national conversa-
tion because I believe a life with faith is
lived better."

❑

iN

September 25 • 2008

B43