In The Pious Ones, New York Times journalist Joseph Berger traces their origins in eighteenth-century Eastern Europe, illuminating their dynamics and core beliefs that remain so enigmatic to outsiders. He analyzes the Hasidim’s codified lifestyle, revealing its fascinating secrets, complexities, and paradoxes, and provides a nuanced and insightful portrayal of how their all-encompassing faith dictates nearly every aspect of life—including work, education, food, sex, clothing and social relations—sustaining a sense of connection and purpose in a changing world. From the intense sectarian politics to the conflicts that arise over housing, transportation, schooling, and gender roles, The Pious Ones also chronicles the ways in which the fabric of Hasidic daily life is threatened by exposure to the wider world and also by internal fissures within its growing population. What lies ahead for the Hasidim, and what lies ahead for American culture and politics as these Ultra-Orthodox Jews occupy a greater place in our society?

    Through the teachings of Buddha and insight gained from her lifelong spiritual quest, Salzberg provides us with a road map for cultivating a feeling of peace that can be practiced by anyone of any tradition.

    The New RabbiThe center of this compelling chronicle is Har Zion Temple on Philadelphia’s Main Line, which for the last seventy-five years has been one of the largest and most influential congregations in America. For thirty years Rabbi Gerald Wolpe has been its spiritual leader, a brilliant sermonizer of wide renown--but now he has announced his retirement. It is the start of a remarkable nationwide search process largely unknown to the lay world--and of much more. For at this dramatic moment Wolpe agrees to give extraordinary access to Fried, inviting him--and the reader—into the intense personal and professional life of the clergy and the complex behind-the-scenes life of a major Conservative congregation. These riveting pages bring us a unique view of Judaism in practice: from Har Zion’s strong-willed leaders and influential families to the young bar and bat mitzvahs just beginning their Jewish lives; from the three-days-a-year synagogue goers to the hard core of devout attendees. We are touched by their times of joy and times of grief, intrigued by congregational politics, moved by the search for faith. We witness the conflicts between generations about issues of belief, observance, and the pressures of secular life. We meet Wolpe’s vigorous-minded ailing wife and his sons, one of whom has become a celebrity rabbi in Los Angeles. And we follow the author’s own moving search for meaning as he reconnects with the religion of his youth. We also have a front-row seat at the usually clandestine process of choosing a new rabbi, as what was expected to be a simple one-year search for Rabbi Wolpe’s successor extends to two years and then three. Dozens of résumés are rejected, a parade of prospects come to interview, the chosen successor changes his mind at the last minute, and a confrontation erupts between the synagogue and the New York–based Conservative rabbis’ “union” that governs the process. As the time comes for Wolpe to depart, a venerated house of worship is being torn apart. And thrust onto the pulpit is Wolpe’s young assistant, Rabbi Jacob Herber, in his first job out of rabbinical school, facing the nearly impossible situation of taking over despite being technically ineligible for the position--and finding himself on trial with the congregation and at odds with his mentor. Rich in anecdote and scenes of wonderful immediacy, this is a riveting book about the search for personal faith, about the tension between secular concerns and ancient tradition in affluent America, and about what Wolpe himself has called “the retail business of religion.” Stephen Fried brings all these elements to vivid life with the passion and energy of a superbly gifted storyteller.

    According to Joshua Trachtenberg, it is not possible truly to understand the experience and history of the Jewish people without attempting to recover their folklife and beliefs from centuries past.Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins with legends of Jewish sorcery and proceeds to discuss beliefs about the evil eye, spirits of the dead, powers of good, the famous legend of the golem, procedures for casting spells, the use of gems and amulets, how to battle spirits, the ritual of circumcision, herbal folk remedies, fortune telling, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams.First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg's study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding of folk beliefs that expressed most eloquently the everyday religion of the Jewish people.

    You’ll marvel at the simple yet powerful techniques contained within, when done properly, can dramatically change you. This is everything you need to get started today!You deserve the absolute best for your life, and it can all start with “How To Quiet The Mind: Relax and Silence The Voice of Your Mind, Today!”

    Whatever you do mindfully, with presence and awareness of what you are doing, you are practicing mindfulness. However, there are also some simple ways and techniques that you can apply in your life throughout the day that can help you with your mindfulness practice. I am not a life coach or psychologist, I am not some special person with some secret knowledge. I am just a regular everyday person and I spent a lot of years of my life seeking the answers on how to be my best self and live my best life, a mindful life. I read many books and took many courses to find those answers but most importantly I lived through a lot of experiences that made me who I am today and helped me grow, helped me become my best self. I struggled with depression, eating disorder, health problems, pain from losing my father at the age of 12, challenging and painful childhood and finding my purpose and meaning. I overcame a lot of pain, struggles, obstacles and setbacks and I can tell you from the experience that it can be done. Everything I share with you is my personal experience and practices that I tried and that worked for me. We will cover several morning, day and evening mindful practices: Mindful morning: - Mindful breathing - Mindful meditation - Sun Salutation Mindful day: - Mindful work - Mindful eating - Mindful communication Mindful evening: - Mindful walking - Gratitude - Body scanning Plus, I am offering a BONUS inside that you can download for FREE, that can help you with your mindfulness practice – “Gratitude Journal – 365 days of gratitude, inspiring quotes and photographs”. If you like simple and concrete advice that actually works in practice you will like this book. Download your copy today and start with your everyday mindfulness in practice!

    She elected to specialize in critical care--to become an ICU physician--and imagined herself swooping in to rescue patients from the brink of death. But then during her first code she found herself cracking the ribs of a patient so old and frail it was unimaginable he would ever come back to life. She began to question her choice. Extreme Measures charts Zitter's journey from wanting to be one kind of hero to becoming another--a doctor who prioritizes the patient's values and preferences in an environment where the default choice is the extreme use of technology. In our current medical culture, the old and the ill are put on what she terms the End-of-Life Conveyor belt. They are intubated, catheterized, and even shelved away in care facilities to suffer their final days alone, confused, and often in pain. In her work Zitter has learned what patients fear more than death itself: the prospect of dying badly. She builds bridges between patients and caregivers, formulates plans to allay patients' pain and anxiety, and enlists the support of loved ones so that life can end well, even beautifully.

    During September Roman Catholics commemorate and honour the Seven Sorrows (or Dolours) of the Blessed Virgin Mary by prayers, other pious devotions and meditations.The first part of this book consists of prayers and miscellaneous devotions.The second part is a step-by-step guide to praying the popular Rosary (or Chaplet) of the Seven Sorrows with selections of text from the Gospels.The third part is a set of Reflections on the Seven Sorrows written by Saint Alphonsus Ligouri.The book is fully navigable by an active Table of Contents with hyperlinks.

    In The Rebbe’s Army, award-winning journalist Sue Fishkoff gives us the first behind-the-scenes look at this small Brooklyn-based group of Hasidim and the extraordinary lengths to which they take their mission of outreach. They seem to be everywhere—in big cities, small towns, and suburbs throughout the United States, and in sixty-one countries around the world. They light giant Chanukah menorahs in public squares, run “Chabad houses” on college campuses from Berkeley to Cambridge, give weekly bible classes in the Capitol basement in Washington, D.C., run a nonsectarian drug treatment center in Los Angeles, sponsor the world’s biggest Passover Seder in Nepal, establish synagogues, Hebrew schools, and day-care centers in places that are often indifferent and occasionally hostile to their outreach efforts. They have built a billion-dollar international empire, with their own news service, publishing house, and hundreds of Websites.Who are these people? How successful are they in making Jews more observant? What influence does their late Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson (who some thought was the Messiah), continue to have on his followers? Fishkoff spent a year interviewing Lubavitch emissaries from Anchorage to Miami and has written an engaging and fair-minded account of a Hasidic group whose motives and methodology continue to be the subject of speculation and controversy.From the Hardcover edition.

    A practical, science-based guide that shows how in just 10 to 15 minutes a day you can make mediation part of your routine and improve your happiness, wellbeing and productivity, for people of all ages and all walks of life.Can't sleep because your thoughts won't switch off? Does a constant stream of unnecessary chatter run thought your head? Mediation is a simple practice that can help you address these common experiences.Through scientifically based research SILENCE YOUR MIND shows how meditation can fit into your busy schedule to improve your sense of wellbeing, help you reach your potential in sport, work and creative pursuits, and increase the quality of your life.For just 10 minutes a day you can feel the benefits that meditation brings to your mental and physical health.Australia's world-leading expert on meditation, Dr Ramesh Manocha, writes in a clear, straight forward way that will appeal to people who wouldn't normally consider meditation, as well as those who want to make it part of their daily lives.

    Joe Vitale, an inspiration to millions and one of the stars of the blockbuster movie The Secret, gives you new tools to deepen your connection with the Universe, put your life on a fast track to greater happiness and fulfillment, and unleash unimaginable power over all things. Joe Vitale is president of Hypnotic Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting firm. He has been called the "The Buddha of the Internet" for his combination of spirituality and marketing acumen. His professional clients include the Red Cross, PBS, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, and many other small and large businesses. He's the best-selling author of The Attractor Factor and Zero Limits.

    They missed the liquidation of their ghetto by mere hours, hiding in a shed all night listening to the screams of their fellow Jews. Then went into Germany and took up work in a hotel housing Gestapo officers. Many close escapes and daring moments make this book chilling.

    Meditation Now: A Beginner’s Guide provides friendly advice, step-by-step guidance, and a range of ten-minute meditations that fit easily into tight schedules. Filled with time-honored practices and insightful discussions, Meditation Now: A Beginner’s Guide makes it easy to learn meditation, with: • Step-by-step instructions for 18 meditation techniques that can be practiced anytime, anywhere • 14 “Take Ten” meditations to promote mindfulness in everyday situations like traffic jams and work presentations • Essential advice and guidelines for overcoming common obstacles like boredom and relating skillfully to thoughts and emotions • 3 focused 28-day meditation plans for those months when you need extra emotional support, happiness, or relaxation • Inspirational quotations and practical tips that motivate you to deepen your practice With Meditation Now: A Beginner’s Guide, peace, clarity, and wisdom can be yours with just ten minutes of restful breathing a day.

    One man as he was studying for the priesthood. Madeleine Albright famously learned from the Washington Post when she was named Secretary of State. "What is it like to find out you are not who you thought you were?" asks Barbara Kessel in this compelling volume, based on interviews with over 160 people who were raised as non-Jews only to learn at some point in their lives that they are of Jewish descent. With humor, candor, and deep emotion, Kessel's subjects discuss the emotional upheaval of refashioning their self-image and, for many, coming to terms with deliberate deception on the part of parents and family. Responses to the discovery of a Jewish heritage ranged from outright rejection to wholehearted embrace. For many, Kessel reports, the discovery of Jewish roots confirmed long-held suspicions or even, more mysteriously, conformed to a long-felt attraction toward Judaism. For some crypto-Jews in the southwest United States (descendants of Jews who fled the Spanish Inquisition), the only clues to their heritage are certain practices and traditions handed down through the generations, whose significance may be long since lost. In Poland and other parts of eastern Europe, many Jews who were adopted as infants to save them from the Holocaust are now learning of their heritage through the deathbed confessions of their adoptive parents. The varied responses of these disparate people to a similar experience, presented in their own words, offer compelling insights into the nature of self-knowledge. Whether they had always suspected or were taken by surprise, Kessel's respondents report that confirmation of their Jewish heritage affected their sense of self and of their place in the world in profound ways. Fascinating, poignant, and often very funny, Suddenly Jewish speaks to crucial issues of identity, selfhood, and spiritual community.