In pursuit of an answer to the question of what would constitute a perfect world, author Ken Spiro questioned more than 1,500 people of various backgrounds and religions. His findings revealed six core elements: Respect for human life; peace and harmony; justice and equality; education; family; and social responsibility. He then set off on a journey to find out why these were such common goals across cultural, economic, social and racial lines, and in the process, traced the history of the development of world religions, values and ethics. As a rabbi, he paid particular attention to how Judaism impacted, and was influenced by, the course of these developments. The result is a highly readable and well-documented book about the origins of values and virtues in Western civilization as influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Christians, Muslims and, most significantly, the Jews. The history of religion, presented in Spiro’s highly readable style, is a fascinating and timely subject, especially in today’s volatile religious climate. Spiro divides his book into five engaging parts: Where the Quality of Mercy Was Not Strained: The World of Greece and Rome Against the Grain: The Jewish View A Father to Many Nations: Abraham and the Implications of Monotheism With Sword and Fire: The Rise of Christianity and Islam The New Promised Land: Impact of Judaism on Liberal Democracies Readers of all faiths will find that the elements of a perfect world can only be achieved by a common understanding of our mutual backgrounds and that our diverse religions are all merely branches growing from one single tree.

As a foremost global spiritual leader, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, emphasized that G-d commanded the Jewish people, through Moshe at Mount Sinai, to influence the people of the world to observe the Torah's Seven Noahide Commandments. Despite the key importance of this mission, Jews were unable to fulfill it during most of their difficult history. The Rebbe explained that, by Divine Providence, the freedoms of religion and speech in our modern societies make it possible -- and thus obligatory -- for Jews to now be involved in spreading out this much-needed universal message. But was any guidance provided for how to pursue this?In fact, the Rebbe directly addressed the following questions, and more:* What is the basis in Torah for this outreach?* What is the pious path for Gentiles in G-d's eyes, and what parts of Torah should they learn? * Who should be involved in this outreach?* How should Gentiles be approached and encouraged?This book presents a systematic compilation of the Rebbe's many teachings and directives for Jews, and Gentiles as well, about how to widely promote belief in G-d, observance of the Noahide Code, and acts of goodness and kindness.

When her mother has the chance to establish an eye clinic for the poor in Cairo, Egypt, seventeen-year-old Caroline reluctantly gives up her plans for a summer spent with her best friend and boyfriend and instead moves to Cairo, where she encounters a culture and city that enchant her and a charming boy who challenges her thoughts on love, faith, and privilege.

Wilson’s ambition alone is exciting. . . . [His] writing has a Houdini-like perfection, wherein no matter how grim the variables, each lovely sentence manages to escape with all its parts intact.” —Boston Globe The eagerly-anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller The Family Fang—a warm-hearted and moving story about a young woman making a family on her own terms. When Isabelle Poole meets Dr. Preston Grind, she’s fresh out of high school, pregnant with her art teacher's baby, and totally on her own. Izzy knows she can be a good mother but without any money or relatives to help, she’s left searching. Dr. Grind, an awkwardly charming child psychologist, has spent his life studying family, even after tragedy struck his own. Now, with the help of an eccentric billionaire, he has the chance to create a “perfect little world”—to study what would happen when ten children are raised collectively, without knowing who their biological parents are. He calls it The Infinite Family Project and he wants Izzy and her son to join. This attempt at a utopian ideal starts off promising, but soon the gentle equilibrium among the families disintegrates: unspoken resentments between the couples begin to fester; the project's funding becomes tenuous; and Izzy’s growing feelings for Dr. Grind make her question her participation in this strange experiment in the first place. Written with the same compassion and charm that won over legions of readers with The Family Fang, Kevin Wilson shows us with grace and humor that the best families are the ones we make for ourselves.

Though she has her doubts, Lacie follows her best friend Jenna into a fast-moving lifestyle in order to be cool and popular with the boys, but when Jenna's friendship turns fierce, Lacie's perfect world comes crashing down. Reprint.

Introduces the plants and animals of seven habitats: rain forest, savanna, evergreen forest, arctic, desert, coral reef, and wetland. In each habitat, a panoramic view invites the reader to find a variety of wildlife hidden on the double-page.

IF you are frustrated with the way your life has gone, If your version of the American dream is not all you expected it to be, maybe now is the time to re-evaluate your expectations. Mark Sharp Author of Dare to Believe has written A Perfect World. He examines our desire for the perfect life and how that relates to what we actually get. Marks life has been drastically altered after having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 29. A Perfect World is a refreshing upbeat approach to living no matter what obstacle you might face. The message of this book will hopefully be a big help as you make your way through this world and into the next