Healing in the Jewish Tradition: Concept And Process In Jewish Science

This book explores an important area of Jewish tradition: Jewish healing. In particular, Kaplan examines the system of Jewish Science. Long placed on the back burner of Jewish theology and practices, Jewish healing systems and methodologies were relegated only to select scholars who were interested in this field. In the early 1920s, four rabbis, independent of each other, developed their own user-friendly interpretations of scholarly healing material and presented it to the public. This work examines the writings of these four rabbis, emphasizing the work of the most prolific among them, Morris Lichtenstein. Healing in the Jewish Tradition illustrates how healing-emotional and physical-is in the hands of all, regardless of religious tradition. Through direct quotes, edited material, and psychodynamic understandings, one is able to clearly see the role Jewish Science can play in people's everyday lives. Both scholars and students-as well as professionals and laypersons-will find this little known area of great interest.

Steven J. Kaplan is an ordained rabbi, state-classified chaplain, and author who has taught both psychology and Jewish studies at the college and university levels. He is currently the director of the Jewish Healing and Wholeness Center in Florida.