To some people the prayer shawl, is a sacred garment worn during special occasions. To others it is a mysterious object full of symbolism and hidden meaning. This book will help you experience the significance of the prayer shawl as it symbolically represents God's presence, healing, love, and forgiveness. With the wisdom and spiritual insight provided in this book, you will understand the true meaning of the prayer shawl.

Discover the tallit's significant role in prayer -- from ancient biblical truths that reveal how it is made and for what reasons. Get equipped for more powerful prayer than ever -- from learning the significance of the fringes on the four corners added to it. Become more intimate with God -- from discovering how to draw in the atarah (collar), to wear your tallit as a 'sanctuary' or 'tent.' Restore the sacredness of your prayer time -- by using your tallit as part of your increased prayer focus.

Modern-day Christians often bring their own presuppositions and assumptions to the reading of the Bible, not realizing how deeply their understanding of Christ's life and teachings is affected by a 21st-century worldview. In Understanding Jesus, author Joe Amaral delves deep into Jewish history, societal mores, and cultural traditions, closing the gap created by geographical distance and over two thousand years of history. Using a chronological approach to the life of Christ, he guides the reader through significant events such as Jesus' birth, baptism, and crucifixion, pointing out illuminating details that that the Western mind would normally miss. Amaral's premise is that to understand Jesus, we must understand the time and place in which he was born, the background from which he drew his illustrations, and the audience he spoke to. Throughout the book he explores specific terms, places, and events for their significance and shows how they add richness and meaning to the text. Topics include the connection between Jesus and John the Baptist, the annual Feasts and why they are important to modern Christianity, Jewish customs such as foot-washing, clean and unclean foods, paying tribute to political governments, and the significance of various miracles. In Understanding Jesus, Amaral draws back the curtain on a way of life that existed during the reign of the Caesars, and in doing so, reveals truths about the way we live more than two thousand years later, half a world away.

What does it mean to be a Jew? How does one begin to answer so extensive a question? In this insightful and completely updated tome, esteemed rabbi and bestselling author Joseph Telushkin helps answer the question of what it means to be a Jew, in the largest sense. Widely recognized as one of the most respected and indispensable reference books on Jewish life, culture, tradition, and religion, Jewish Literacy covers every essential aspect of the Jewish people and Judaism. In 352 short and engaging chapters, Rabbi Telushkin discusses everything from the Jewish Bible and Talmud to Jewish notions of ethics to antisemitism and the Holocaust; from the history of Jews around the world to Zionism and the politics of a Jewish state; from the significance of religious traditions and holidays to how they are practiced in daily life. Whether you want to know more about Judaism in general or have specific questions you'd like answered, Jewish Literacy is sure to contain the information you need. Rabbi Telushkin's expert knowledge of Judaism makes the updated and revised edition of Jewish Literacy an invaluable reference. A comprehensive yet thoroughly accessible resource for anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of Judaism, Jewish Literacy is a must for every Jewish home.

37 patterns to embrace inspire & celebrate life.

In an age of hashtag and armchair activism, merely raising awareness about injustice is not enough. Michelle Warren and her family have chosen to live in communities where they are "proximate to the pain of the poor." Here she shows us how proximity changes our perspective, compels our response, and keeps us committed to the journey of pursuing justice for all.