Arts & Entertainment
Everyday Holiness
Book on Mussar takes readers on a journey
of reflection and change throughout the year.
Suzanne Chessler
At a particular point in my life, I felt a
really pressing need for guidance and sign-
posts to make sense of life and to see that
I was living in a way that was really wise,'
lan Morinis describes a turning
says Morinis, 60, whose journey into Mussar
point in his life as the time he
began when he was 47.
stumbled upon the Jewish tradi-
"There are a lot of foolish ways to live, and
tions of Mussar, a system of introspective
I was living some of them. I read a book that
practices leading to daily living directed
had a chapter about Mussar. I never heard of
toward holiness.
the word before, but I found old traditions
That turning point resulted in a wider per- with modern applications."
sonal perspective and a career change that
Morinis' own introduction to Mussar is
would impact others.
recalled in his book Climbing
Besides launching the Mussar
Jacob's Ladder. The teachings of
Institute to teach the beliefs and
Mussar are explored in his new
their applications, Morinis has
book, Everyday Holiness: The
written about his approach to
Jewish Spiritual Path to Mussar.
Mussar self-development, most
"My latest book provides a
recently with the book Every Day,
practical tool for Jewish spiritual
Holy Day: 365 Days of Teachings &
practice of a kind that was not
Practices from the Jewish Tradition
available before," says Morinis,
Rabbi B ennett:
of Mussar (Trumpeter; $17.95).
whose earlier careers involved
"In man y ways,
Morinis, who has introduced the
teaching anthropology at the
Mussar practices
practices during speaking engage-
university level and producing
are simi lar to
ments in Michigan, has encour-
feature films and documentaries.
yoga."
aged the establishment of local
"I felt for a long time that a book
Mussar groups, the first two orga-
like this was needed."
nized by separate teams: Rabbi Josh Bennett
The book explores 26 basic traits (mid-
of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield and Julie dot), including honor, compassion, generos-
August, a yoga teacher and vice president of
ity, courage and strength. The idea is to focus
Temple Israel; and Roann Altman and Judy
on one a week, through contemplation and
Freedman in Ann Arbor.
exercises, so that each reader can refine that
Two more groups are being developed.
trait in daily endeavors.
Special to the Jewish News
A
r>,±
The book is divided
according to two read-
Alan Morinis: "People
ing cycles with each
who feel they don't
trait covered once
need to improve need
within each cycle.
it more than anybody
As each trait is
week and then practice it for a week.
else."
presented, there are
The origin of Mussar goes back to
anecdotes, comments, a
the 10th century, when it essentially
repeated phrase to summarize the essence of was a solitary pursuit. Mussar was reinvigo-
the trait and journal space for the reader to
rated as a social/spiritual movement in 19th-
report on what has been done to achieve the
century Lithuania inspired by Rabbi Yisrael
trait in moderation.
Salanter.
"In many ways, Mussar practices are
"It's no coincidence that my new book is
similar to yoga': says Rabbi Bennett, whose
coming out at this time of year," says Morinis,
sessions can include between 10 and 18
based in Canada. "The publisher recognized
participants. "Mussar can be a mind-body-
in its commercial wisdom what we as Jews
soul experience although Mussar isn't as
have recognized in our spiritual wisdom.
physical."
"The month of Elul, leading up to Rosh
Rabbi Bennett explains that the study is
Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is not just anoth-
the intellectual part, and the application to
er month. It is a time of preparation, and the
daily living relates to the physical aspects.
book comes out at this time because it's a
The Jewish traditions have to do with the
time of intensified introspection.
soul.
"Day by day, over Elul, we do the stock-
"Our first group began when we were
taking, reflection and self-evaluation so that
lucky enough to bring Alan Morinis in as
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can be very
a community speaker," Rabbi Bennett says.
effective'
"After that, Julie and I went through a train-
Morinis says that his book reaches out to
ing program. The idea is for participants to
cover the entire year because of its founda-
develop new attitudes of personal growth."
tion in Jewish teachings that extend the
Although the rabbi is affiliated with
journey of reflection and change throughout
Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, the group
the year.
is open to the entire community. Participants
"I believe that people who feel they don't
study a particular soul characteristic for one
need to improve need it more than anybody
Jews
Nate Bloom
Special to the Jewish News
Frenzied Films
The Extra Man, scheduled to open
Friday, Sept.10, is a comic romp built
on the friendship of
two eccentrics, the
younger portrayed by
actor Paul Dano and
the elder by actor
Kevin Kline, 62.
Dano plays a
teacher at a fancy
prep school who
Kevin Kline
has a quirky habit
of wearing women's
underwear though heterosexual. His
garment choice is exposed — and he
is forced to resign. He moves to New
York City and gets a magazine job,
44
September 9 2 010
where he meets his love interest
(Katie Holmes).
But most of the
flick is about his wild
urban adventures
with Henry (Kline),
an indigent play-
wright who rents
him a room. Henry
makes a few bucks
escorting wealthy
Marian Seldes
widows to society
functions. Playing
one of these widows
is Broadway acting legend Marian
Seldes, 82.
The film is directed and co-written
by the husband-and-wife team of
Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer
Berman, 46 (American Splendor). It's
based on a novel by Jonathan Ames
The new documentary I'm Still
Here, also scheduled to open Friday,
Joaquin & Summer Phoenix
(HBO's Bored to Death), who contrib-
uted to the screenplay.
In 2008, Joaquin Phoenix (Best
Actor Oscar nominee for Walk the
Line) announced he was retiring from
acting in favor of a budding career
as a rap musician. Questions were
asked, now and then, like: Was this an
elaborate hoax? Was, or is, Joaquin,
now 35, mentally ill?
Sept.10, might answer these ques-
tions, as well as providing an in-depth
look at career reinvention.
Filmed over two years, the docu-
mentary is the work of actor Casey
Affleck — the brother of actor Ben
Affleck, the best friend of Joaquin
and the husband of Joaquin's sister,
former actress Summer Phoenix, 31.
The Phoenix siblings (including the
late actor River Phoenix) are the
children of a Jewish mother and a
non-Jewish father. Joaquin has long
described himself as nonreligious.
By the way, Casey and Summer
have continued the Phoenix fam-
ily tradition of colorful names. They
have two young sons, named Indiana
August Affleck and Atticus Affleck.