Category: Book Reviews

Raising Spiritual Champs Including Yourself by Dr. Miriam Adahan

Dr. Miriam Adahan is a brilliant author. Her words of wisdom are so practical and relatable.

She takes her understanding of how our brains work and turns it into a practical guide of how to “Raise Spiritual Champs.” The book is presented in a very easy and reader-friendly way so that anybody can succeed in “Raising Spiritual Champs.” Continue reading “Book Review: Raising Spiritual Champs Including Yourself”

Body and Soul: The Torah Path to Health, Fitness, and a Holy Life by Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld and Dr. Daniel Grove MD.

Body and Soul is an outstanding health book. With sources from over a wide range of chazal (rabbinic literature), it sheds light on how one can maintain one’s health in an optimal manner over one’s entire life. Continue reading “Book Review: Body and Soul: The Torah Path to Health, Fitness, and a Holy Life”

Dignity to Survive: One Family’s Story of Faith in the Holocaust by Yona Emanuel.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach read Dignity to Survive on Tisha b’Av.

I have read through Dignity to Survive: One Family’s Story of Faith in the Holocaust and found it most fascinating. What stands out most about it is the determination and willingness to adhere to Torah and Mitzvos despite going through a living hell.  Continue reading “Book Review: Dignity to Survive: One Family’s Story of Faith in the Holocaust”

The Kabbalah of Writing- Mystical Practices for Inspiration and Creativity by Sherri Mandell

“Take the words and experiences and knowledge that God has granted you, your truth, and write your memoir. Be bold, creative, patient, free, and focused as you craft your life into art. Your readers are waiting for you.” Continue reading “Book Review: The Kabbalah of Writing- Mystical Practices for Inspiration and Creativity”

The Book of Jewish Knowledge- A multifaceted exploration of the teachings, observances, and history of Judaism by The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute

Raise your hand if you remember The Book of Knowledge or the Encyclopedia Britannica. The Book of Knowledge, in its little two shelf oak bookcase, sat in my bedroom, well read with covers well worn. It provided esoteric facts for those dreaded assigned essays on the important export crops of Bolivia (not sure why I needed to know that), or the demise of the British Commonwealth of Nations, or dog breeds (not assigned but useful in our houseful of pets- canaries (“Birdbrain”- self explanatory), cats (“Loopy”- ditto), and dogs (too numerous to mention)). It taught me “touch typing” on an old, manual, clickety clackety typewriter. Continue reading “Book Review: The Book of Jewish Knowledge”

It’s All the Same To Me- A Torah Guide to Inner Peace and Love of Life by Moshe Gersht

“What we will discover together is that the most important thing you can bring to the world is your true self, with all its colors- not the image that has been created by your social network, not the projected thoughts of your parents or friends.” In his book It’s All the Same to Me, Moshe Gersht colors his pages with positivity, Torah wisdom, and new and ancient philosophical teachings, guiding the reader to a better understanding of how we see the world and ourselves. Continue reading “Book Review: It’s All The Same to Me”

Unmatched- An Orthodox Jewish Woman’s Mystifying Journey to Find Marriage and Meaning by Sarah Lavane

“Once upon a time,” as the ubiquitous fairy tale states, a young girl begins a search for her prince, or in Sarah Lavane’s case, her beshert, her intended. A lovely story then unfolds, with the young lass encountering obstacles on her journey to love and marriage…and then “they lived happily ever after.”  Continue reading “Book Review: Unmatched”

The Great Game of Kashrut- Demystifying Kashrut in a Fun and Engaging Way by Rabbi Don Channen and Rabbi Yaakov (Jon) Goldman 

“Welcome to the Kashrut revolution- an exciting journey in learning the most interesting and relevant concepts in Kashrut. The Great Game of Kashrut allows readers to quickly and easily engage with concepts and halachot which were, until now, locked behind the complex Hebrew texts of the Shulchan Aruch and its commentators.” Continue reading “Book Review: The Great Game of Kashrut”

The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum

Once upon a time, in the small town of Crasna in 1944, a little girl with red hair who loved to dance heard drums. “It is those Hungarians again. They are always trying to assert their control over our small town…on the border between Hungary and Romania…the two countries fight for us like toddlers fighting for a toy.” Continue reading “Book Review: The Redhead of Auschwitz “

Resilience- A Jewish Guide to Facing Adversity, Fostering Strength, and Living Your Best Life by Leslie M. Gutman, PhD

“Resilience, which involves utilizing our strengths in order to effectively cope with and learn from life’s challenges, may…be considered one of our most important tasks…We are not born resilient, we are made resilient…Resilience is an active practice that we engage in every day through the choices we make for ourselves and through our relationships with others.”  Continue reading “Book Review: Resilience – A Jewish Guide to Facing Adversity, Fostering Strength, and Living Your Best Life – Leslie M. Gutman, PhD”