Jewish Spiritual Guidance: Finding Our Way to God - Softcover

Olitzky, Kerry M.; Ochs, Carol

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1439223556 ISBN 13: 9781439223550

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing, 2009

Synopsis

This book explains the process of spiritual guidance, encourages us to seek it out, and helps prepare those who feel called to become spiritual guides. Drawing from their personal and professional experience, as well as a rich array of traditional Jewish sources, Dr. Carol Ochs and Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky explore what Judaism has to say about the spiritual journey and the ways in which spiritual guidance can help us open more fully to God’s presence in our lives. Using the Book of Exodus, the Song of Songs, and the psalms as roadmaps—and sharing stories of contemporary Jews engaged in their own spiritual explorations—Ochs and Olitzky explore prayer as a relationship with God, listening as a key to recognizing all that is holy, and discernment as a way to distinguish the real from the apparent. The hardcover edition of Jewish Spiritual Guidance was first published in 1997 by Jossey Bass.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Carol Ochs is director of graduate studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, where she also teaches and serves as spiritual guide for rabbinic and cantorial students. She is the author of eight books, including Our Lives as Torah: Finding God in Our Own Stories and Reaching Godward: Voices from Jewish Spiritual Guidance. Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky is the executive director of the Jewish Outreach Institute. Among his numerous publications are The Rituals and Practices of a Jewish Life: A Handbook for Personal Spiritual Renewal, with Dan Judson; The Complete How-to Handbook for Jewish Living, with Ronald H. Isaacs; and the pioneering Recovery from Codependence: A Jewish Twelve Steps Guide to Healing Your Soul.

From the Back Cover

A Map for the Inner Journey, for Seekers and Guides AlikeWritten with warmth, compassion, and deep understanding, this book offers a map of the inner journey for anyone who wants to explore the time-honored practice of spiritual guidance. Carol Ochs and Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky speak both to those who seek a Jewish perspective on the spiritual life and those who wish to guide others in this search. Drawing deeply on the riches of the Torah and other important Jewish sources, Jewish Spiritual Guidance offers wisdom and insight to all religious seekers?lay and ordained, and Jewish and non-Jewish.

From the Inside Flap

This sensitively written book explains the process of spiritual guidance, encourages us to seek it out, and helps prepare those who feel called to become spiritual guides. Drawing from their personal and professional experience, as well as a rich array of traditional Jewish sources, the authors explore what Judaism has to say about the spiritual journey and the ways in which spiritual guidance can help us open more fully to God's presence in our lives.Carol Ochs and Kerry M. Olitzky examine the broad principles of spiritual guidance, describing it as the journey of two people?seeker and guide?through the wilderness toward God. The central relationship is not between the seeker and the guide, they say, but between the seeker and God. The guide is a companion who helps the seeker discover patterns, articulate insights, and remain faithful. All the lessons that the guide teaches the seeker are lessons that the guide is also learning, again and again.Using the book of Exodus, the Song of Songs, and the psalms as roadmaps?and sharing stories of contemporary Jews engaged in their own spiritual explorations?Ochs and Olitzky explore prayer as a relationship with God, listening as a key to recognizing all that is holy, and discernment as a way to distinguish the real from the apparent. They identify fear as an inherent part of the spiritual life and show how, through study, we can re-form our childhood image of God with adult understanding.With caring and insight,the authors help us consider temptation, sin, and repentance, and show us that the spiritual life is not a single challenge or heroic feat, but the shape of a lifetime and the ongoing Andurance of "the desert." The individual journey toward God leads ultimately, they say, to an active spiritual life grounded in community.Jewish Spiritual Guidance draws deeply from a wellspring of traditional sources, including the Torah; rabbinical texts such as the Mishnah, Talmud, midrash, codes, and medieval et

Edition details

• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1439223556
• ISBN 13: 9781439223550
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240