Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam (the Hebrew and Arabic words for Oasis of Peace) is a community founded by Jews and Palestinians that is aimed at demonstrating the possibilities for living in peace while maintaining their respective cultural heritages and languages. The village schools represent a unique educational experience: an opportunity for Jewish and Palestinian children to learn together in a Hebrew-Arabic bilingual, bicultural, binational setting. This book, a result of the author's nine year study of the schools in the village, explores the psychological and social dimensions of this important educational endeavor. Award-winning author Grace Feuerverger explores teaching and learning in schools as a sacred life journey, a quest toward liberation. Written for teacher/educators who wish to make a real difference in the lives of their students, this book speaks to everyone who finds themselves, as she did, on winding and often treacherous paths, longing to discover the meaning and potential in their professional lives at school. A child of Holocaust survivors, Feuerverger wrote this book to tell how schools can be transformed into magical places where miracles happen. In an era of narrow agendas of 'efficiency' and 'control', this book dares to suggest that education is and should always be about uplifting the human spirit.

The Middle East has undergone vast, often sudden changes since World War I, and this lack of stability leads to conflict. But while the political situation in Israel and Palestine is complex, peace is not impossible. Wahat al-Salam/Neve Shalom (Oasis of Peace), an intentional community of Jews and Palestinians (Christians and Muslims), has become known the world over for its unique approach to conflict and interfaith dialogue. Receiving tens of thousands of visitors a year, this community has learned what it means to live in harmony despite long-standing differences between cultures and deep-seated strife in the surrounding area. Despite its success, little has been written about the Oasis of Peace-until now. Rayek R. Rizek, one of its founding members, has served his community in government, public relations, and now the written word. In a memoir that is not to be missed, Rizek pulls back the curtain on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and demonstrates that, with fellowship and diligence, even entrenched discord can be overcome. Rabbi Dr. Marc Gopin of George mason University, Arlington VA, wrote: Rayek Rizek's Masterful Volume is a unique contribution to the story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict like none I have ever read before. I have been studying, writing and working inside this conflict for 32 years. Never have I seen this combination of insights about the past, the presence and the future, about the self in the context of conflict, about the central importance of story, the taking of personal responsibility, and the inescapable unity of the land and its peoples. If you seek a spell-binding story, an odyssey into the soul, and a beacon of hope beyond war, enter here. Emeritus Professor Oliver Ramsbotham of Bradford University UK, wrote: Rayek Rizek's book is essential reading, not only for those wanting to find out about the unique Oasis of Peace voluntary experiment in Jewish/Palestinian cohabitation, where the author has lived for 33 years, but also about the wider conflict. The Anteater and the Jaguar is that rare thing - a book that offers the reader the fruits of a lifetime of action, study and commitment by a principled and highly impressive participator.

This poetic compilation is about the commonly observed inner and outer world struggles and the issues humans face while finding their peace and joy on this journey called life. Living cheerfully every day may look like a distant dream, but it is possible to achieve if one is ready to face the heat and make materialistic sacrifices. One also needs to offer themselves to the divine by way of their total investment in learning and pursuit of knowledge. Without wisdom, attaining true happiness is surely a distant dream. Oasis of Peace takes its readers on a trip of a desert that represents the current condition of our planet and its environment that some inhabitants have almost brought to ruins, as well as an oasis that feels like an illusion of peace but is still an achievable reality if the same inhabitants and others try together. It is not one human's job to save the nature or save the world but a work of collective consciousness. Through spiritual knowledge and enlightenment, every human can transform their soul and open their third eye to the reality of this simple life. They can first achieve inner peace through self-care and nurturing and then see the same change reflecting in their external environs. Such is the power of the divine!

There is a surprising way out of the frenzy, that always-being-behind feeling, and the endless to-do list. Now more than ever, people are seeking a reprieve from the constant pressure to achieve, produce, and consume. While many turn to sporadic bouts of mindfulness and meditation, organizational change specialist Marilyn Paul offers a complementary solution that is as radical as it is ancient. In her new book An Oasis in Time, Paul focuses on the profound benefits of taking a modern-day Sabbath each week for deep rest and nourishing renewal. The energy, perspective, creativity, sense of well-being, and yes, increased productivity that ensue are lifesaving. Drawing on Sabbath tradition, contemporary research, and interviews with scores of busy people, Paul shows that it is possible to introduce these practices regardless of your religious beliefs. Starting with just an hour or two, you can carve out the time from your packed schedule, design your weekly oasis experience, and most importantly, change your mind-set so you can enjoy the pleasure of regularly slowing down and savoring life every week. From surrounding yourself with nature to practicing rituals for beginning and ending oasis time to implementing strategies for connecting with friends and family, self, and source, you will discover practical ways to step off the treadmill and into timeless refreshment on your way to a calmer, richer, more fulfilling life.