Keeping the Sabbath is the only commandment God called holy and said to remember. The moment the women light the Sabbath candle, we glimpse the boundless realm of the world to come as all work is put down and we meet with the Lord. The flame reveals our distinctions and makes known our gifts, a flame that spoke from Mount Sinai, led the Israelites through the desert, consumed offerings, and annointed the new church. Jesus said, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” He opens his kingdom with generous hospitality, an invitation to a place at the table for anyone called to reconcile the wild and natural branches of the olive tree. Under the shared commandment to know God, the radiance is drawing together a family at his table in an unprecedented movement bringing Jew and Gentile into the one new humanity Jesus prayed for us to be. Sabbath is the only ritual listed in the ten commandments. In it he has set a table before us in the presence of the enemy who tried to divide the wholeness of the body of Christ, the feminine importance in bringing light, and the sacredness of heritage.

A window into the meaning of Jewish rituals throughout history and today— written especially for Christians. Ritual moments and opportunities guide the daily life of practicing Jews. These spiritual practices give expression to Jewish identity and reflect Judaism’s core beliefs and values. But what can they mean to Christians seeking to understand their own faith? In this special book, Rabbis Olitzky and Judson guide you through the whys and hows of nine specific areas of Jewish ritual. Observing the Sabbath Keeping Kosher Putting on Tefillin (Prayer Boxes) Wrapping the Tallit (Prayer Shawl) Covering the Head Studying Torah Praying Daily Saying Blessings throughout the Day Going to the Ritual Bath Providing you with the biblical and historical background of each practice, insight into its contemporary use and significance—including the often divergent approaches of different Jewish movements—and personal stories from rabbis and lay people, this easy-to-understand guide illustrates the deep meaning these rituals have in the Jewish relationship with God. Linking these practices to familiar rituals in the Christian tradition, Olitzky and Judson help you better understand the roots of Christianity and how the fundamentals of Judaism relate to and reflect your own spiritual foundation.

A guidebook to help educators teach middle school or high school students in formal instructional courses and to teach all students about the prophets in an informal setting.

The awareness of “light” as both a concept and a phenomenon existed long before it became a matter of scientific interest. This volume investigates the many ways in which light has been conceptualized throughout history. Employing different methodological approaches derived from various disciplines in the humanities, the essays gathered here situate the concept of light within discourses on gender, religion, intellectual life, politics, art, and digital culture. Through diverse perspectives, light is defined – in some cases synchronically – as a physical phenomenon, a visual tool, and a philosophic idea. This book combines the fields of intellectual studies, religion, literature, and visual culture to explore the complexities of conceptual paradigms that represent various manifestations of the idea of light. Through original readings, the contributing authors present a range of scholarly perspectives, offering new interpretations of the idea of light and its history within the humanities.

On the Sabbath, calling women to the Torah, and counting them in the minyan.

Comprehensive history of crypto-Jewish beliefs and social customs.

In the past quarter-century, David Hartman has established himself as one of the pre-eminent religious and Jewish thinkers of our age. Refusing to be limited by the traditional focus on metaphysics and theology, Hartman has developed a religious philosophy through sustained reflection on the concrete experience of individual, communal and national Jewish life. In Judaism and Modernity, prominent Israeli and American scholars of philosophy, religion, law, political theory, and Judaism engage Hartman's wide-ranging and provocative work. Touched by Hartman's passion for religious dialogue, humanism, and the interplay between traditional texts and modern thought, the contributors advance their own ideas on the philosophy of religion, religious anthropology, pluralism, Zionism, and medieval Jewish philosophy. This is a rich collection for students, professional academicians, and all who seek to incorporate the wisdom of the past into the evolving wisdom of the future.

Lubavitcher Women in America offers a rare look at the world of Hasidic women activists since World War II. The revival of ultra-Orthodox Judaism in the second half of the twentieth century has baffled many assimilated American Jews, especially those Jewish feminists hostile to Orthodox interpretations of women's roles. This text gives voice to the lives of those Hasidic women who served the late Lubavitcher Rebbe as educators and outreach activists, and examines their often successful efforts to recruit other Jewish women to the Lubavitcher community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Central to this book is how Lubavitcher women have "talked back" to American feminist thought. Arguing that American feminism cannot liberate Jewish women—that a specifically Jewish spirituality is more appropriate and fulfilling—Lubavitcher women have helped to swell the ranks of their Rebbe's followers by aggressively promoting the appeal of traditional, structured Jewish observance. The book thus offers a unique look at female anti-feminist religious rhetoric, articulately presented by Jewish "fundamentalists."

Find Daily Comfort in Ancient Prayer "Kol Hatchalot Kashot."All beginnings are difficult. New graduate, newlywed, first-time mother, or new job. Every single new beginning is difficult. Not just the onset of an illness or the beginning of grad school, or the first weeks of a job search, but all new situations presesnt challenges in our lives. How do we cope? Ancient Prayer offers daily inspiration and wisdom from the past that ground us and help us put things into perspective, using bibilical texts and prayers by early philosophers, poets, and spiritual leaders. These bite-sized lessons remind us to appreciate the truly important things in life and not lose sight of the higher power that guides us all.