A spirit runs through the interdisciplinary essays of this book--a spirit that lives within them and hovers above them, at once intelligent and profoundly simple. Although each essay focuses on a certain topic, whether it is the Buddhist saint Milarepa, the prophet Jeremiah, or the Christian saint Teresa of Avila, whether it is the Israeli/Palestinian conflict or subtleties of the spirit, these essays have penetrable borders that dissolve at the seams, and touch each other religiously, philosophically, and psychologically. The use of an interdisciplinary methodology that draws from the wisdom of different disciplines in regard to values, such as courage in the face of attacks and integrity in the midst of a worldly environment, culminates in a rich source of inspired guidance for everyday life.

Berghash's impressionistic memoir charts her relationship with her homeland during a lifelong journey of self-discovery, beginning with a child's-eye view of the city's sacred mysteries, her family's religious orthodoxy, and the underlying kinship between Israelis and Palestinians. At 18, she serves in the Israeli army, but when she marries an American artist, she moves to New York City and raises a family. Living outside the homeland she loves and having abandoned her adherence to religious strictures, she shuttles between her original and adopted countries.

Vāsavadattā, a classical Sanskrit romantic tale.