A lesson in hope and faith for every child who has wondered what come next.

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Presented here are two volumes of apocryphal writings reflecting the life and time of the Old and New Testaments. Stories told by contemporary fiction writers of historical Bible times in fascinating and beautiful style.

A powerful collection of writings about Rosh Hashanah that will add depth and holiness to your experience of the spiritual New Year. This compelling companion to Yom Kippur Readings helps create a bridge between the words of our ancestors and the meanings, themes and ideas that are the central spiritual agenda of the life of the modern Jew. Drawn from a variety of sources—ancient, medieval, modern, Jewish and non-Jewish—this selection of readings, prayers and insights explores the opportunities for inspiration and reflection inherent in the subjects addressed on the Jewish New Year: sin, repentance, personal and social change, societal justice, forgiveness, spiritual growth, living with joy and hope, commitment to high ideals, becoming our truest and most authentic selves, deepening our capacity to love and savoring the divine gift of life. These readings enable you to enter into the spirit of Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe in a personal and powerful way while they uplift and inform. They will add to the benefits of your High Holy Day experience year after year.

"According to the Hebrew Bible, God made the world with words. God just spoke and the world became reality. (The Aramaic for 'I create as I speak' is avara k’davara, or in magician’s language, abracadabra.) . . . This does not protect words from the numbing effects of overuse in any religious tradition. . . . We need to dust off the words, shake away the accretions, wonder again about what they originally might have meant and enable ourselves to live in the word." —from the Introduction With creativity and poetry (and occasional heresy) Kushner dusts off thirty classical Hebrew words, shakes them free of the effects of generations of overuse, “re-translates” them, and liberates their ancient holy power. The result is a contemporary spiritual guide for your personal religious life. According to the Hebrew Bible, God made the world with words. God just spoke and the world came into being. Words therefore are not merely sounds signifying something else; they are instruments of creation, primary reality itself. They need only to be read, spoken, and interpreted. And to know them is to know reality itself. Kushner has designed the book himself, seamlessly blending graphics and content. In doing so he evokes the aesthetics of an ancient manuscript and a vision of our power to shape the future. Each finely crafted chapter begins with a Hebrew word and Kushner’s provocative English translation. At the bottom of the page is a transliteration of the Hebrew along with its more customary English rendering. In addition to his own intriguing definition, he includes a biblical citation anchoring the word, along with a more recent text showing the word’s evolution. Finally, we are offered a personal, meditative exercise designed to enable you to “live in the word.”

Dare to Take Ownership of the Wildness and Wonder of Your Truest Self “Nature is there for you, waiting to reflect your deepest self back to you and to teach you the Creator’s wisdom. A step into nature’s embrace is always a step into a richer, fuller life. The door is wide open; come on out!” —from “Beginning” This book is your invitation to experience the life-energizing process of reclaiming your spiritual roots through nature—be it your backyard or the wilds of the forest. Nancy Barrett Chickerneo, a twenty-year veteran leading women’s retreats, guides you on a journey into nature to reconnect with your senses—what you see, hear, touch, taste and smell—in order to reactivate your ability for personal discovery. Combining creativity, playfulness and spiritual depth, she poses eight life-changing questions that help you explore ways to awaken, transform and nurture your spirit. Practical exercises for individual or group use encourage you to let go of self-judgment and seek balance in your everyday life, empowering you to find your own path to spiritual growth. Whether you have picked up this book out of curiosity, longing—even skepticism—you will be inspired to get out there into nature to reclaim the person you were created to be.

Have a haiku momentwhen your mind stops and your heart moves. Writing haiku offers the chance to honor, hold, and fully experience a fleeting moment that takes you out of yourself, a moment that hints at the deeper unity that lies beneath the surface of things. from Chapter One In this encouraging guide for both beginning and experienced haiku writers, Margaret D. McGee shows how writing haiku can be a consciously spiritual practice for seekers of any faith tradition or no tradition. Drawing from her experience as a spiritual retreat leader and published haiku writer, McGee takes the mystery and intimidation out of beginning to write haiku. For those already on their way, she provides helpful hints and exercises to broaden and deepen both your haiku artistry and your appreciation of haiku as part of your spiritual life. With humor and encouragement, she offers step-by-step exercises for both individuals and writing groups, and shows how haiku can help you: Pay attention to the world around you to connect with sacred moments Overcome fear and self-doubt to access your innate creativity Explore and use haiku together with spiritual practices in your own faith tradition Make haiku a spiritual part of your daily routine

The spiritual tools you can use to infuse Jewish life cycle ceremonies with meaning, integrity and joy. Discover the spiritual meaning in Judaism’s major life cycle moments. Understand, create and enter wholeheartedly into Jewish life cycle ceremonies, preparatory practice, and celebrations. More than just how-to, Rabbi Goldie Milgram guides you in making your Jewish rites come alive with meaning, beauty and with lasting impact on you, your friends and family. She takes you beyond rote rites—beyond just surviving—and directly into accessing Jewish rites of passage as a force for thriving. With careful attention to both traditional and emerging practices across the full spectrum of Jewish life, Rabbi Milgram examines: Jewish Weddings, Traditional and Inclusive Rites Welcoming a New Baby and Raising a Healthy Jewish Child Meaningful, Memorable Adolescent and Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ritual Support for Many Stages of Adulthood Jewish Rituals for When Relationships End Jewish Approaches to Dying, Death, Burial, Mourning and Remembering

Just One Moment of Close Attention Can Be a Prayer to God "Does God communicate through the natural world? Through the slug on the compost pile, the leaf on the lawn, the stone tumbled on the beach, the air that feeds my lungs, the dreams that fill my nights? How will I know unless I pay attention?" --from the Introduction Paying attention is rarely easy to do. It requires focus, patience and a willingness to slow down--traits that are hard to come by in this hurry-up world. But close attention to even one small piece of creation, one object, person, routine, image, word or scripture, can become a prayer to God, opening a channel of communication between you and the Divine to allow for deep spiritual growth. In this inspiring guide, you will discover ways to develop a practice of attention as a means of talking--and listening--to God. Framed on the Christian liturgical year and paired with images of the seasons of the earth, each chapter includes an insightful and poignant narrative which illustrates the surprising richness to be found in every attention-getting moment. Following each narrative is a prayer, suggested scripture readings and a specific exercise you can use to develop your own practice of attention as a means to better connect with God. Accessible, humorous and meaningful, these words and practices will lead you further along your path toward discovering a deeper awareness of yourself and your relationship to all that is around you--and within you.

With diverse and robust voices, women are reclaiming their place at the seder table. This complete sourcebook and guide shows you how to do it, too. For the first time, contemporary Jewish women's writings on the Passover seder are gathered in one comprehensive and compelling sourcebook—an unprecedented and powerful resource for those planning a women’s seder and those seeking to infuse their Passover celebration with the creative and courageous voices of Jewish women. Arranged according to the order of the seder, this practical guide gathers the voices of more than one hundred women in readings, personal and creative reflections, commentaries, blessings and ritual suggestions that can be incorporated into your Passover celebration as supplements to or substitutes for traditional passages of the haggadah. It also includes a detailed guide to planning a women’s seder, based on information from successful seder organizers around the world. Whether you are organizing a women’s seder in your community or planning a family seder in your home, this inspiring and accessible resource will help you take an active role in re-creating the educational and spiritual experience of Passover—and in shaping Judaism’s future. Contributors include: Dr. Rachel Adler • Dr. Rebecca T. Alpert • Rabbi Renni S. Altman • Zoe Baird Dr. Evelyn Torton Beck • Susan Berrin • Senator Barbara Boxer • Dr. Esther Broner Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin • Tamara Cohen • Anita Diamant • Dr. Carol Diament Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, PhD • Eve Ensler • Dr. Marcia Falk • Merle Feld Rabbi Susan P. Fendrick • Rabbi Tirzah Firestone • Dr. Ellen Frankel • Nan Fink Gefen Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg • Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb • Dr. Susannah Heschel Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar • Rabbi Naamah Kelman • Naomi Klein • Irena Klepfisz Maxine Kumin • Rabbi Noa Rachel Kushner • Rabbi Joy Levitt • Hadassah Lieberman Ruth W. Messinger • Dr. Faye Moskowitz • Joan Nathan • Dr. Alicia Suskin Ostriker Dr. Judith Plaskow • Marge Piercy • Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen • Anne Roiphe Danya Ruttenberg • Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso • The Honorable Jan Schakowsky Rabbi Susan Schnur • Rabbi Susan Silverman • Dr. Ellen M. Umansky Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg • Dr. Chava Weissler • Cantor Lorel Zar-Kessler