Synopsis
“A learned and deeply spiritual book, rigorous and sensitive, it should appeal to free thinkers and believers alike.” ― Martin Peretz, editor in chief, The New Republic “Niles Goldstein writes like a gentle guide, a sage teacher, and a trusted friend. [He] reminds us that loss and misfortune need not unmoor us from ourselves but can challenge us to enrich and elevate our souls. This book will bring solace and comfort to many.” ― Bruce Feiler, author of Walking the Bible In Craving the Divine, Niles Goldstein brings us is a message of particular relevance today, namely, that a journey through the wilderness―be it emotional, existential, or geographical―is a transformative and strengthening process, even though it may not seem so at the time. In chronicling the stories of survivors who have traveled through perilous and at times unexplored territory, Goldstein not only shows us how to face the challenges of being human but also delivers a promise of meaning, direction, and hope in our lives. Craving the Divine interweaves contemporary stories of men and women that Niles Goldstein has met through his work as a rabbi and law-enforcement chaplain, with those of biblical figures such as Cain, David and Bathsheba, Samson and several prophets and mystics. It provides an uplifting message of hope to counter the chaos and fear so many of us experience in our public and private lives, and makes it clear that we are not―nor have we ever been―alone in our angst. Niles Elliot Goldstein is the founding rabbi of The New Shul in Greenwich Village, New York. He lectures widely on Jewish mysticism and spirituality and has taught at New York University and the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion. Goldstein is the national Jewish chaplain for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and was the voice behind “Ask the Rabbi” on the Microsoft Network. His essays and poetry have appeared in Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and many other leading publications, and he is the author or editor of seven books, including Gonzo Judaism: A Bold Path for Renewing an Ancient Faith (St. Martin's Press, 2006), which was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the top Religion books of 2006. He has been the subject of features in Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, and may other periodicals, and on Dateline, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, the Voice of America, and the BBC. †
Reviews
Covering a wide array of emotions and states of being—disorientation, panic, loneliness, yearning, anger, determination, surrender and emergence—Goldstein (Gonzo Judaism), founding rabbi of the New Shul in New York City, above all simply reminds readers that we are human. In his easygoing style, he uses an engaging mix of Bible tales, congregants' stories and personal anecdotes, as well as cultural references, to illustrate a sort of eight-step program for opening oneself spiritually. Some are extreme examples of life's pain—homelessness, suicide, terrorist bombings—and others all too common encounters with job loss, cancer and death. Each story is tempered with a corresponding example of hope, a reason to carry on. Goldstein comes across as neither smug nor cavalier, nor does he consider this a self-help book. Rather, he seeks to address not personal loss so much as the phenomenon of being lost, of becoming a wanderer, a soul unable to find its way. As a seasoned extreme traveler himself, he knows what it is to wander, and readers of all spiritual persuasions will appreciate his gentle prodding as a fellow traveler on the journey. (Sept.)
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