Torah And Dharma

In Torah and Dharma: Jewish Seekers in Eastern Religions, psychologist Dr. Judith Linzer explores the phenomenon of Jews seeking spiritual fulfillment in Eastern religions, particularly Buddhism. Written with the intention of encouraging unity and understanding amongst all Jews, Torah and Dharma will allow those who are not seeking meaning outside of traditional Judaism to better understand those who are, and it will provide comfort and inspiration to those embarking on a spiritual quest of their own.

Written with deep knowledge of Indian religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism) and of Judaism, as both textual traditions and lived practices, and with an understanding of his American audience, The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma provides an essential introduction to the world’s leading non-Abrahamic religions. It serves as well as a model of bridging the world of religious scholarship with the world of ordinary religious practitioners. When Rabbi Polish embarked on the study of Indian religion at the beginning of his career, India was exotic, and Christianity was at the center of the American Jewish interfaith experience. Now, between globalization on the one hand, and a generation of Indian immigrants coming of age, Indian religion is of growing interest and concern. Rabbi Polish moves the discussion beyond the ways that practices such as Yoga and meditation have been westernized and commoditized, and points to what Jews share with a billion religious practitioners in the U.S. and beyond. In The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma, Rabbi Daniel Polish takes Jewish readers on a tour of Indian religious practices and beliefs. He shows commonalities and differences and then, challengingly, asks us how what Jews learn about Indian religion might affect how they think about their Judaism and what followers of Eastern religious traditions can learn from Judaism about their faith. Advance Praise “The book is a whirlwind religious tourist visit to the diversity of Indian religions: Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu led by an experienced congregational rabbi with much experience in interfaith dialogue and in teaching world religions. Polish seeks a deeper understanding of the Jewish tradition by discussing specific points of Indian religions in tandem with Judaism: the book of Ecclesiastes compared to the teachings of the Buddha; Chanukah and Purim compared to Diwali and Holi; and Jain reverence for life compared to Jewish law. He sets these parallels within discussions of religious evolution, mythology, and henotheism. Polish provides a pleasurable book to be read on the plane to India for those journeying to find their own points of intersection.” —Rabbi Dr. Alan Brill, author of Rabbi on the Ganges: A Jewish Hindu-Encounter and Judaism and World Religions About the Author Rabbi Daniel Polish has been a congregational rabbi for many years, most recently serving as spiritual leader of Congregation Shir Chadash of the Hudson River Valley in Lagrangeville, New York. Born in Ithaca, New York, he received his B.A. in Philosophy from Northwestern University, was ordained at Hebrew Union College, and earned his Ph.D. in History of Religion from Harvard University, writing his dissertation on “The Flood Myth in the Traditions of Israel and India.” Throughout the years he has been involved in interfaith dialogue at the highest levels on behalf of the Jewish community. He was part of a team of prominent scholars of religion that met with Muslim religious leaders throughout South Asia for the purpose of promoting interfaith understanding. He has served as chair of the International Jewish Commission for Interreligious Consultation (IJCIC), the official interlocutor of the Jewish community with the Vatican and other international religious bodies. Rabbi Polish is the author of several previous books: Bringing the Psalms to Life, Keeping Faith with the Psalms, and Talking About God: Exploring the Meaning of Religious Life with Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel. He serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Reform Judaism and of Current Dialogue, published by the World Council of Churches.

This work provides an anthology of close textual readings and examinations of a wide range of topics by leading scholars in interreligious scholarship and Hindu-Jewish dialogue, offering innovative approaches to categories such as ritual, sacrifice, ethics, and theology while underscoring affinities between Hindu and Jewish philosophy and religion

Written with deep knowledge of Indian religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism) and of Judaism, as both textual traditions and lived practices, and with an understanding of his American audience, The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma provides an essential introduction to the world's leading non-Abrahamic religions. It serves as well as a model of bridging the world of religious scholarship with the world of ordinary religious practitioners. When Rabbi Polish embarked on the study of Indian religion at the beginning of his career, India was exotic, and Christianity was at the center of the American Jewish interfaith experience. Now, between globalization on the one hand, and a generation of Indian immigrants coming of age, Indian religion is of growing interest and concern. Rabbi Polish moves the discussion beyond the ways that practices such as Yoga and meditation have been westernized and commoditized, and points to what Jews share with a billion religious practitioners in the U.S. and beyond. In The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma, Rabbi Daniel Polish takes Jewish readers on a tour of Indian religious practices and beliefs. He shows commonalities and differences and then, challengingly, asks us how what Jews learn about Indian religion might affect how they think about their Judaism and what followers of Eastern religious traditions can learn from Judaism about their faith.

For Jews, Zen students, "JuBus," and other open-minded seekers--a guide to authentic Jewish and Zen practice and how they illuminate, challenge, and enrich each other. Books like the Jew in the Lotus have helped to define the intersection of Jewish and Zen experience and custom. Now, in the first guide to the practice of both Judaism and Zen, Dr. Brenda Shoshanna, a long-time practitioner and student of both, shares her insights with over one million people who identify as "JuBus," as well as Jews, Zen students, non-Jews, and everyone in the interfaith community who seeks understanding, meaning, and a life grounded in these authentic faiths. Each chapter of Jewish Dharma focuses on common issues that introduce disorder to our lives, using personal narrative, parables, quotations from both Jewish and Zen scriptures, anecdotes, and exercises. Specific guidelines and exercises help readers integrate both practices into their everyday lives--and thereby gain deeper understanding and happiness. A long term Zen student and practicing Jew (who cannot let go of either), Dr. Shoshanna explores the ways in which Zen and Judaism practice illuminate and enrich one another. Zen deepens Jewish experience and Jewish practice provides the warmth and relationships that can get lost in the Zen. Zen is based on radical freedom, individuality, being in the present and nonattachment. Judaism comes rooted in relationships, family, love, prayer to a Higher power and the instruction to always remember. A Jewish heart is warm, giving, human, and devoted to family and friends. A Zen eye is fresh, direct, spontaneous and planted in the present moment. Together they are like two wings of a bird, both are needed to be able to fly. The book includes stories, discussion, information and wonderful exercises. It has been highly endorsed by Rabbis, Zen teachers, and others. "I couldn't put it dwn. ...Dr Brenda Shoshanna guides us into the heart of Jewish and Zen practice which enrich one another in ways that enhance....A must read for anyone who wishes to explore Zen meditatin and Jewish life." --Rabbi Marcia Prager, author The Path of Blessng "Brenda Shoshanna's book tells a story of a woman's coming to terms with the deepest part of each tradition - she is creating a unique path. I highly recommend this book to anyone." --Rodger Kamenetz, author The Jew in The Lotus "Dr Shoshanna's vision embrances both traditions with fidelity and beauty." --Robert Kennedy, S.J. Roshi, author Zen Gifts for Christians "Her good heart and wisdom mind shine through in this delightful, interesting, psychologically astute and practical book. Anyone intersted in finding deeper understanding and meaningful puprose in life will be rewarded by reading any one of the pages." --Lama Surya Das, author Awakening the Buddha Within

Recent discussion of biblical law sees it either as a response to socio-economic factors or as an intellectual tradition. In either case it is viewed as the product of elites that form an international community drawing on a common culture. This book takes that fundamental discussion a step further by proposing that 'law' is an inappropriate term for the biblical codes, and that they represent, rather, the 'moral advice' of scribes working independently of the legal framework and appealing to Yahweh as authority. Only by prolonged exegesis and through the transformation of Judaean religion does this 'advice' take the form of divine law binding on Jews.

Contributors to Women and Judaism describe the many ways in which women are claiming a place in and changing the face of this ancient religion. "Women and Judaism," the editor writes, "carries an intention to do more than bring the reader new ideas to ponder. For Jewish women, it's a charge to claim and re-claim their rightful place in their tradition ... For non-Jewish sisters, we hope that it encourages you to bring change in your traditions as you learn of our effort to be counted as full members of an ancient spiritual community." In this all-encompassing exploration of Judaism for the modern woman, readers attend the first the Bat Mitzvah 70 years ago, hear an imagined response of biblical mothers asked to give up their children, and learn how each holiday contains an ecological message. Readers explore the power of women within a patriarchal tradition, including the story of the first woman rabbi. Readers see demonstrations of how women keep body, mind, and spirit alive, read a new view of biblical women as heroic role models, and enter the memory of women Holocaust survivors. Some contributors write about sexuality, power, and vulnerability, while others present the newest women's rituals, including Rosh Hodesh and mikveh.

This book stands at the crossroads between Jerusalem and Benares and opens a long awaited conversation between two ancient religious traditions. It represents the first serious attempt by a group of eminent scholars of Judaic and Indian studies to take seriously the cross-cultural resonances among the Judaic and Hindu traditions. The essays in the first part of the volume explore the historical connections and influences between the two traditions, including evidence of borrowed elements and the adaptation of Jewish Indian communities to Hindu culture. The essays in the second part focus primarily on resonances between particular conceptual complexes and practices in the two traditions, including comparative analyses of representations of Veda and Torah, legal formulations of dharma and halakhah, and conceptions of union with the Divine in Hindu Tantra and Kabbalah.