Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins – författare

From time immemorial Jews have been studying the assigned Sidrah (Torah lesson) every week of the year. Jews study the Sidrah beginning Shabbat afternoon, when the Sidrah for the following week is read in the synagogue. A favorite time to study has always been at the Friday night Shabbat dinner table. As soon as all the prayers and rituals are chanted and performed, the delicious Shabbat meal has been consumed, and Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals) has been chanted and perhaps several zemirot (Shabbat hymns) have been sung with gusto a traditional family will turn to the parshah, as it is familiarly known. If they are more advanced they may open a Humash. Or they may have before them a copy of Sidrah Sparks.

Serious discussion is a lost art at the family dinner table, and Torah study is surely not common among most families today. Using Sidrah Sparks is a wonderful way to revive the inspiring and enlightening Jewish custom of turning our attention to serious discussion, and to create opportunities for Jewish educational enrichment. Using traditional Torah texts to share our ideas, our philosophies, our values and our feelings is a wonderful way to enrich our minds and spirits, and also our closest relationships.

Discover the Talmud and its universal values for all people. While the Hebrew Bible is the cornerstone of Judaism, it is the Talmud that provides many central values for living. The Talmud sets out specific guidelines and lyrical admonitions regarding many of life''s ordinary events, and offers profound words of advice for life’s most intractable dilemmas. This accessible introduction to the Talmud explores the essence of Judaism through reflections on the words of the rabbinic sages, from one of American Judaism’s foremost teachers and writers, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins. Dr. Elkins provides fresh insight into ancient aphorisms and shows you how they can be applied to your life today. Topics include: Kindness through Giving, Welcoming and Sharing; Human Relationships; Personal Values; Family Values; Teaching and Learning; and Life’s Puzzles. Enlightening and inspiring, the values of the Talmud can be appreciated not just by Jews, but by anyone seeking a greater understanding of life and its mysteries.

A powerful collection of writings about Yom Kippur that will add spiritual depth and holiness to your experience of the Day of Atonement.

As Rosh Hashanah ends and you look ahead to Yom Kippur, what do you think about? The familiar melody of Kol Nidre? The long hours of fasting? The days of self-examination? You know that the Day of Atonement is the holiest on the Jewish calendar, but sometimes it just feels long, tiresome and devoid of personal meaning. The readings in this book are for anyone seeking a deeper level of personal reflection and spiritual intimacy—and a clearer understanding of just what makes Yom Kippur so holy.

Drawn from a variety of sources—ancient, medieval, modern, Jewish and non-Jewish—this selection of readings, prayers and insights explores the opportunities for inspiration and reflection inherent in the themes addressed on the Day of Atonement: sin, forgiveness, repentance, spiritual growth, and being at one with self, family, community and God. These readings enable you to enter into the spirit of Yom Kippur in a personal and powerful way while they uplift and inform. They will add to the benefits of your High Holy Day experience year after year.

A powerful collection of writings about Rosh Hashanah that will add depth and holiness to your experience of the spiritual New Year.

This compelling companion to Yom Kippur Readings helps create a bridge between the words of our ancestors and the meanings, themes and ideas that are the central spiritual agenda of the life of the modern Jew.

Drawn from a variety of sources—ancient, medieval, modern, Jewish and non-Jewish—this selection of readings, prayers and insights explores the opportunities for inspiration and reflection inherent in the subjects addressed on the Jewish New Year: sin, repentance, personal and social change, societal justice, forgiveness, spiritual growth, living with joy and hope, commitment to high ideals, becoming our truest and most authentic selves, deepening our capacity to love and savoring the divine gift of life. These readings enable you to enter into the spirit of Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe in a personal and powerful way while they uplift and inform. They will add to the benefits of your High Holy Day experience year after year.

The Glory and Grief, Humor and Pride of the Human Experience—Inspiration from a Jewish Perspective

From exile to rebirth, from degradation to renaissance, the Jewish People has undergone every human experience and emotion that God created. In this inspiring collection of stories, award-winning anthologist Dov Peretz Elkins captures the best and worst of Jewish experience in these spine-tingling tales of courage, devotion, passion and extraordinary achievement.

Elkins taps the famous and the not-so-famous, world-renowned figures and the little-known “person next door,” for stories that illustrate the wonder, meaning, and purpose of life as viewed through the lens of Judaism’s core values. Though drawn from the Jewish tradition, these universal stories of kindness, hope, faith and discovery will intrigue the minds and warm the hearts of people from all walks of life.

Insights, Ideas and Thoughtful Questions for Discussing with Students the Essential Core of Judaism—the Talmud. A step-by-step guide to creative use of The Wisdom of Judaism: An Introduction to the Values of the Talmud in the classroom. Each lesson includes: • An opening hook to grab students'' attention • Intriguing discussion questions to guide students in a personal exploration of the Talmud • Opportunities for students to engage the text This comprehensive teaching tool will help you guide each student to a deeper understanding of the Talmud and its eternal wisdom. Discover the Talmud and its universal values for all people. While the Hebrew Bible is the cornerstone of Judaism, it is the Talmud that provides many central values for living. The Talmud sets out specific guidelines and lyrical admonitions regarding many of life’s ordinary events, and offers profound words of advice for life’s most intractable dilemmas. This accessible introduction to the Talmud explores the essence of Judaism through reflections on the words of the rabbinic sages, from one of American Judaism’s foremost teachers and writers, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins. Dr. Elkins provides fresh insight into ancient aphorisms and shows you how they can be applied to your life today. Topics include: Kindness through Giving, Welcoming and Sharing Human Relationships Personal Values Family Values Teaching and Learning Life’s Puzzles Enlightening and inspiring, the values of the Talmud can be appreciated not just by Jews, but by anyone seeking a greater understanding of life and its mysteries.