New Goodreads Giveaways!

We are excited to announce a new initiative:
Every month, Urim will be running a giveaway through Goodreads!

December Giveaway: From Mourning to Morning by Simeon Schreiber

Click here to enter for a chance to win 1 of 7 copies!

 

Book Launch: Memoirs of a Hopeful Pessimist

Thursday evening, December 22, at 8 p.m. at Kehilat Yedidya, 12 Lifschitz Street in Bak’a.

MC for the evening: Linda Gradstein.

Panelists: Noomi Stahl and Dr. Yoni Moss, with response by Debbie.

Short musical program and light refreshments.

Book available for purchase and signing.

For more information, visit the event page here.

Shaarei Nechama: Rosh Hashana Machzor on sale at Matan

The Shaarei Nechama Rosh Hashana Machzor will be on sale at the Matan Yom Iyun on Monday, September 26, 2016.

New from Urim Publications – Shaarei Nechama: Rosh Hashana Machzor

Buy now

Shaarei Nechama: Rosh Hashana Machzor
With Commentary of Professor Nechama Leibowitz

Nechama Leibowitz was the most prominent, creative, and ground breaking teacher of Bible and Biblical interpretation of her time. She taught and continues to inspire thousands. In Machzor Shaarei Nechama, we have collected from her wellsprings of Torah, drawn from her writings. You will find them organized under the rubrics: “Gates of Prayer” “Gates of Torah” and “Gates of Repentance.” Enter and experience the new vistas and wondrous insights of Nechama Leibowitz, which will inform and illuminate the high holidays.

 

Excerpt from Who Stole My Religion: Revitalizing Judaism and Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal Our Imperiled Planet

Chapter One

Who Stole My Religion?

I am a Jew because the faith of Israel [ Judaism]
demands no abdication of my mind.
I am a Jew because the faith of Israel asks every
possible sacrifice of my soul.
I am a Jew because in all places where there are tears
and suffering the Jew weeps.
I am a Jew because in every age when the cry of
despair is heard the Jew hopes.
I am a Jew because the message of Israel is the most
ancient and the most modern.
I am a Jew because Israel’s promise is a universal
promise.
I am a Jew because for Israel the world is not finished;
men will complete it.
I am a Jew because for Israel man is not yet fully
created; men are creating him.
I am a Jew because Israel places man and his unity
above nations and above Israel itself.
I am a Jew because above man, image of the divine unity,
Israel places the unity that is divine.
— Edmond Fleg, “Why I Am a Jew”

I fervently believe in the above sentiments and many other
positive aspects about Judaism, and I am proud to be a Jew. Judaism
has wonderful, powerful, and universal messages, and applying them
is essential to move our precious, yet increasingly threatened, planet onto
a sustainable path.
I wrote this book to urge Jews to apply basic Jewish teachings at a time
when they are needed more than ever before to the many tumultuous
crises facing humanity and all of God’s creatures. By encouraging Jews
to apply Judaism’s eternal values to current issues, I hope this book will
help revitalize Judaism and will make Judaism more attractive to many
disaffected Jews.

About My Modern Orthodox Synagogue
I have been a member of Young Israel of Staten Island, a modern Orthodox
synagogue, since 1968, and I have served as Vice President for Youth,
Cultural Director, and co-editor of the synagogue’s newsletter. Over
the years I have seen the dedication of members of my congregation to
Judaism and Jewish issues. The amount they donate to charity is truly
outstanding. The acts of kindness and concern for the well-being of fellow
congregants are also remarkable, and there is always great communal
sharing at occasions of joy and sorrow. There are gemachs that provide
free wedding and other gowns, furniture, centerpieces for celebrations,
and clothing for people who need them, and there is a food pantry. There
is a unique group called Nachas (joy) Unlimited that collects money to
help cover medical expenses for ill children.
Especially commendable are the actions of the voluntary group Hatzolah,
whose members will drop whatever they are doing at a moment’s
notice – whether they are at work, taking part in a Passover seder, or just
relaxing with their families or friends – to respond to medical emergencies.
Many synagogue members make weekly visits to patients in hospitals and
nursing homes. Many of the synagogue’s young attendants work with
great compassion and dedication at special summer camps, taking care
of children with cancer and other health problems.

To continue reading this excerpt, click here.

Who Stole My Religion?, written by Richard H. Schwartz and published by Urim Publications in 2016.

This chapter was excerpted with permission by the author.

If God is everywhere, why can’t I see Him?

Launching his new, two-volume series, Nefesh HaTzimtzum, Avinoam Fraenkel talks about philosophical and Kabbalistic topics that have been questioned for centuries. Nefesh HaTzimtzum is a comprehensive and accessible presentation of Nefesh HaChaim, the classic book by Rabbi Chaim Volozhin, which follows a methodological framework for serving God and provides guidance on how to philosophically interact with the world. Due to its Kabbalistic subject matter, Nefesh HaChaim has lain in almost total obscurity for nearly two centuries. Avinoam Fraenkel enlightens the complex work by providing a translation, in-depth explanations, an informative historical overview, and a full index.

During his book launch in Beit Shemesh, Fraenkel touched upon Kabbalistic topics such as if Kabbalah is authentic; how Kabbalah views reality; and if Kabbalah, science, and technology are connected. You can view the entire talk here.

Nefesh HaTzimtzum, Volume 1: Rabbi Chaim Volozhin’s Nefesh HaChaim with Translation and Commentary and Nefesh HaTzimtzum, Volume 2: Understanding Nefesh HaChaim through the Key Concept of Tzimtzum and Related Writings are available through Urim Publications.

 

 

Urim Publications – New and Forthcoming Titles