The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Jewish Journey Haggadah: Connecting the Generations
Rabbanit Adena Berkowitz, author
Shira Hecht-Koller, photographer
Gefen Publishing House
255 Central Ave #B-206, Lawrence, NY 11559
www.gefenpublishing.com
9789652299123, $29.95, HC, 248pp

https://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Journey-Haggadah-Connecting-Generations/dp/96= 5229912X

Synopsis: "The Jewish Journey Haggadah: Connecting the Generations" by Rabb= anit Adena Berkowitz has the full Hebrew text accompanied by an easy-to-rea=
d English translation and transliteration showing the central role played b=
y women in the Passover story. The Haggadah adds meaningful commentary, sto= ries, questions for discussion, fun holiday parody songs, jokes, Seder reci= pes, and activities to delight both adults and children. When you use this = Haggadah, your guests will be so engaged that they will forget to ask When =
do we eat?

Why the need for a new Haggadah? Because this Haggadah has been designed to=
: Foster a deeper connection to Passover to enable participants from all ba= ckgrounds, from generation to generation, to be comfortable using a Hebrew =
or transliterated text, together with an inclusive English translation; Pro= vide a user-friendly format with suggestions for preparing for Passover and=
internalizing its messages afterwards; Show the central role played by wom=
en in the Passover story; Spark discussion and sharing of insights, teachin= gs, anecdotes, and stories This Haggadah includes:

Critique: Of special note is the color coding for the different features co= mprising the Hebrew/English edition of "The Jewish Journey Haggadah: Connec= ting the Generations", along with fun songs, recipes and stories will liven=
up your seder. Furthermore there is a Kid's corner, along with tidbits and=
points for everyone to share. Simply stated, "The Jewish Journey Haggadah:=
Connecting the Generations" is a wonderfully extraordinary and unreservedl=
y recommended addition to personal, family, community, and synagogue librar=
y Judaic Studies collections.

Editorial Note: Rabbanit Dr. Adena K. Berkowitz ( is Scholar in Residence a=
nd co-founder of Kol HaNeshamah, NYC, an organization dedicated to reenergi= zing the spiritual lives of both not-yet-affiliated and affiliated Jews. Wi=
th a background in law, Jewish studies, and psychotherapy. Rabbanit Berkowi=
tz is the co-author, together with Rivka Haut, z l, of Shaarei Simcha: Gate=
s of Joy, a mini prayer book and the first liturgical work in the modern er=
a written by Orthodox women. A practicing therapist, she lives in New York = with her husband Rabbi Zev Brenner and children Menachem Leib, Lizzy (and h= usband Sam Zakay), Pammy, Aderet, and Jessica Brenner. Shira Hecht-Koller, = Esq., is the Director of Education for 929 English and the Director of Comm= unal Engagement at Drisha. She teaches Talmud and Jewish identity to a wide=
variety of audiences, and writes and speaks on topics of education, creati=
ve living, and family life. (https://www.jofa.org/rabbanit-dr-adena-berkowi= tz)

Wounds into Wisdom
Tirzah Firestone
Monkfish Book Publishing Company
22 East Market Street, Suite 304, Rhinebeck NY 12572
www.monkfishpublishing.com
9781948626828, $16.99, PB, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Wounds-into-Wisdom-Intergenerational-Foreword/dp/194= 8626829

Synopsis: As members of the Jewish community, our past does not simply disa= ppear. The painful history of our ancestors and their rich cultural wisdom = intertwine within us to create the patterns of our future. Even when past t= rauma remains unspoken or has long been forgotten, it becomes part of us an=
d our children -- a legacy of both strength and woundedness that shapes our=
lives.

With the publication of "Wounds into Wisdom: Healing Intergenerational Jewi=
sh Trauma", Rabbi Tirzah Firestone brings to life the profound impact of pr= otracted historical trauma through the compelling narratives of Israeli ter= ror victims, Holocaust survivors, and those whose lives were marred by raci=
al persecution and displacement.

The tragic story of Firestone's own family lays the groundwork for these re= vealing testimonies of recovery, forgiveness, and moral leadership.

Throughout "Wounds into Wisdom", Rabbi Firestone interweaves their voices w= ith neuroscientific and psychological findings, as well as relevant and ins= piring Jewish teachings. Seven principles emerge from these wise narratives=
-- powerful prescriptive tools that speak to anyone dealing with the effec=
ts of past injury. At the broadest level, these principles are directives f=
or staying morally awake in a world rife with terror.

Critique: Of especially relevant interest to readers concerned with coping = with the physical, psychological, and cultural impact of anti-Semitism in o=
ur contemporary times upon our selves, our families, and all members of the=
Jewish community (especially in view of the current rise of fascist author= itarianism and increase in acts of hate crimes against Jews), "Wounds into = Wisdom: Healing Intergenerational Jewish Trauma" by Rabbi Tirzah Firestone = deserves as wide a readership as possible. Originally published in hardcove=
r (2019), this new paperback edition from Monkfish Book Publishing Company = features a new Preface by the author, a new Foreword by Gabor Mate, and a R= eading Group Study Guide. While with the highest recommendation for persona=
l, community, synagogue, college, and university library Judaic Studies/Iss= ues collections, it should be noted that "Wounds into Wisdom" is also avail= able in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Rabbi Tirzah Firestone (https://www.tirzahfirestone.com) is=
an author, Jungian psychotherapist, and a leader in the international Jewi=
sh Renewal Movement. Ordained by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in 1992, sh=
e is the founding rabbi of Congregation Nevei Kodesh in Boulder, Colorado. = Rabbi Firestone served on the board of directors and as Co-Chair of T'ruah:=
The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.

These Words: Poetic Midrash on the Language of Torah
Alden Solovy
Reform Judaism Publishing
c/o CCAR Press
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th floor, New York, NY 10017
www.ccarpress.org
9780881236156, $19.95, PB, 196pp

https://www.amazon.com/These-Words-Poetic-Midrash-Language/dp/0881236152

Synopsis: With the publication of "These Words: Poetic Midrash on the Langu= age of Torah", liturgist Alden Solovy distills the Torah into its very esse= nce: the individual words it contains.

Echoing the midrash that the Torah has seventy faces, Solovy selects sevent=
y of its Hebrew words that are pregnant with meaning. For each word, he del= ves into the etymology, translation, and usage, providing deeper insights i= nto familiar texts. Then Solovy presents a beautiful poem (what he calls "p= oetic midrash") inspired by and interpreting each word.

From b'reishit ("in beginning") to shamayim ("heavens") to zachor ("remembe= r"), "These Words" will change the way you look at the language of the Tora=
h.

Critique: As informative as it is inspirational, thoughtful and thought-pro= voking, "These Words: Poetic Midrash on the Language of Torah" is a treasur=
ed addition to the growing body of Torah studies, as well as unreservedly r= ecommended for personal, community, synagogue, and academic library Judaic = Studies collections and supplemental curriculum lists, iIt should also be n= oted for rabbinical students, Rabbis, academia, and non-specialist general = readers with an interest in the subject that "These Words: Poetic Midrash o=
n the Language of Torah" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle=
, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Alden Solovy (https://tobendlight.com/about-the-author/alde= n-solovy) is a liturgist, author, journalist, and educator. He has written = more than 700 pieces of new liturgy, offering a fresh new Jewish voice, cha= llenging the boundaries between poetry, meditation, personal growth, and pr= ayer. Solovy's teaching spans from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of=
Religion in Jerusalem to Limmud and Leo Baeck College in the UK, and synag= ogues throughout North America. Solovy is a three-time winner of the Peter = Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism. He made aliyah to Israel in 2012.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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Midwest Book Review
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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