Mystic Siren is about women's spirituality, Jewish mysticism, and Sephardic music and cultural traditions. Paloma s explanations of the place of women in creation are critically important for both men and women in our times. It is a delightful read that ranges from fable to Kabbalistic meditations, and it is grounded in religious practice and study of the Torah. Mystic Siren is beautifully designed, and it is a unique artistic and scholarly collaboration between this talented mother and daughter team. Gloria Abella Ballen, the artist and designer, has won numerous international awards with recognition from UNESCO and the National Endowment for the Arts among others. Her work is in the collections of modern art museums in the United States, Mexico, and Colombia.

Mystic Siren: Woman's Voice in the Balance of Creation

Religion & Spirituality

Paloma, Vanessa

Judaism

Gaon Web

Vorhand's approach of soul-centered psychotherapy combines psychology and religious mysticism to achieve a unique integrity of the inner self. She combines the richness of Jungian psychology and its understanding of the primordial myths of humanity with the spiritual insights of Kabbalah.

The Mosaic Within: An Alchemy of Healing Self and Soul

Self-Help

Vorhand, Susan

Personal Transformation

Converso is a story of crypto-Jewish life in a small town in northern New Mexico during the 1870's, the time of Bishop Lamy. Abran Espinosa along with his uncle, Don Moisés Espinosa, discover their Jewish birthright through an old family journal. The newly-appointed priest, Father LaSalle, mistakenly suspects them of sorcery, leading to a confrontation and Abran's exile from the local church. The resulting story is compelling and surprising. Mario X. Martinez uses stories from his family to create this historical novel of powerful Dons, dashing young men, beautiful women, and the foreign priest who did not understand New Mexican life and culture. This combustible mixture leads to conflict, revenge and the suspicious demise of the priest as he was conducting mass. This is a story that Willa Cather would have understood about life and death and the secrecy by which crypto-Jewish families lived and protected their identity.

Converso (Western Sephardic Traditions)

Literature & Fiction

Martinez, Mario X

Genre Fiction

Guardians of Hidden Traditions is a historical novel narrating the experiences of generation after generation of crypto-Jews, beginning in Spain in the late 1300's and ending in New Mexico in the early 1800's. It tells the stories of mothers, daughters, and their families as they hide from the Inquisition and migrate to new lands seeking freedom and peace. Isabelle Medina-Sandoval draws from stories and research about her own family to create this novel. The story is built around a real core of events, and she includes historically rich details about the lifestyles of the various time periods. "Guardians of Hidden Traditions is a fascinating and moving story of a people that held on to deep traditions and culture through tremendous trials and tribulation. Dr. Medina Sandoval has woven into this work the beautiful story of our ancestors. The work provides a deep sense of belonging for a group that survived in the hearts and minds of individuals with deep faith in something omnipotent. This work is something that we as a people need to pass on to our young people in our educational systems. The culture and traditions portrayed in this work is really part of our Land of Enchantment. The Rosa de Castilla and the many traditions are part of New Mexico and its people." --Dr. John Mondragon, Professor, University of New Mexico

Guardians of Hidden Traditions (Western Sephardic Traditions)

History

Medina-Sandoval, Isabelle

Americas

Counting the Omer is a Kabbalistic meditation guide to understand the in-depth meanings of each of the forty-nine days between Pesach (Passover) and the Shavuot celebration of the revealing of the Torah. Rabbi Kantrowitz follows Kabbalistic guidelines to show how the unique values of the sephirot interact each day, giving the reader insight into the strengths of the day. Through this guide the reader is led to meditate on the mystical qualities of life and self.

Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide

Kantrowitz, Min

Rabbi Stephen Leon's book, The Third Commandment and the Return of the Anusim: a Rabbi's Memoir of an Incredible People, stands as not only a testimony of faith, but also as a symbol of religious tenacity. Anusim is the Hebrew word first employed by fifteenth century Spanish Jews to describe their co-religionists who were forced either by the sword or other means to convert to Christianity. These people were often called by many other names, some complimentary and others carrying a disparaging nuance. These names included marranos, conversos, and nuevos cristianos. Jews, however, used but one word: anusim: meaning those who had been spiritually violated. Fifteenth and sixteenth century Spanish Jews saw these people as the victims of a spiritual assault. Although it is true that some of these people, once converted, did become loyal citizens of Christendom, others, despite the trials and tribulations maintained a schizophrenic split religious personality. That is to say, that on the outside these anusim by law were practicing Christians, but in the interiors of their homes and souls, they remained loyal to the faith and people of Israel. These forced conversions changed the social structure of Spanish Jewry. Where once there had been a single and united Jewish politic within the various nations that composed the Iberian Peninsula, now Jewry was divided into four separate subcategories:  (1) Jews who were practicing members of the people of Israel,  (2) Jews had converted to Christianity due to issues of spiritual assault but despite the legal and economic hurdles remained at least in private loyal to their faith and people,  (3) Jews, who were forced to convert, decided to adapt themselves to their new situation and became loyal Catholics and (4) a small number of Jews who for personal reasons had freely chosen Christianity.Rabbi Stephen Leon's book, The Third Commandment and the Return of the Anusim: a Rabbi's Memoir of an Incredible People, stands as not only a testimony of faith, but also as a symbol of religious tenacity. Anusim is the Hebrew word first employed by fifteenth century Spanish Jews to describe their co-religionists who were forced either by the sword or other means to convert to Christianity. These people were often called by many other names, some complimentary and others carrying a disparaging nuance. These names included marranos, conversos, and nuevos cristianos. Jews, however, used but one word: anusim: meaning those who had been spiritually violated. Fifteenth and sixteenth century Spanish Jews saw these people as the victims of a spiritual assault. Although it is true that some of these people, once converted, did become loyal citizens of Christendom, others, despite the trials and tribulations maintained a schizophrenic split religious personality. That is to say, that on the outside these anusim by law were practicing Christians, but in the interiors of their homes and souls, they remained loyal to the faith and people of Israel. These forced conversions changed the social structure of Spanish Jewry. Where once there had been a single and united Jewish politic within the various nations that composed the Iberian Peninsula, now Jewry was divided into four separate subcategories:  (1) Jews who were practicing members of the people of Israel,  (2) Jews had converted to Christianity due to issues of spiritual assault but despite the legal and economic hurdles remained at least in private loyal to their faith and people,  (3) Jews, who were forced to convert, decided to adapt themselves to their new situation and became loyal Catholics and (4) a small number of Jews who for personal reasons had freely chosen Christianity.

The Third Commandment and the Return of the Anusim: A Rabbi's Memoir of an Incredible People

Biographies & Memoirs

Leon, Stephen

Regional U.S.

The Hollywood Bible is an analysis of Hollywood films of recent years for their Jewish content, including films that have significant Jewish symbolism, such as Star Wars. The book does film reviews for the purposes of Jewish education and uses of film for the classroom. It also includes, following each piece, a series of discussion questions to be used at the educator's discretion with the film. It is by no means an exhaustive list of questions and I hope that the questions will inspire educators to develop more questions and stimulate discussion and debate with each screening. It is my hope that rabbis and other clergy, Jewish educators and Sunday school teachers, theology and religion professors will read this book and that it will inspire you to teach Jewish thought, Jewish history, spirituality, tolerance, and the Hebrew Bible through the use of film. I also hope that a much larger readership will find it interesting and that this book will find a place for people searching for answers. I pray that this book will help you to view Hollywood as sacred and Holy - wood. This is the Holy(wood) Bible.

The Hollywood Bible

Royi Shaffin

Jews under Moroccan Skies tells the story of Jewish life in Morocco, describing in realistic detail how Jews and Muslims interweaved their lives in peace for centuries. The authors give us the rich history of Berber Jews, the Moroccan tzadikim, and Jewish mysticism in the country. They also describe the cultural differences between the Judeo-Spanish communities of the North, the Francophone urban Jews, and the Judeo-Arabic and Judeo-Berber traditions. "No chapter in the long history of the Jewish people has more power and more relevance to our contemporary world than Moroccan Jewry. And it is the least known, by far! This wonderful book will draw you into its mystery, captivating and capturing your imagination. If you don't want to be tempted to travel, don't read this book. You will never be satisfied until you see it with you own eyes accompanied by the unparalleled teacher and guide, Raphael David Elmaleh! People all over the world have been waiting for Raphy to put his words down on paper. This magnificent book is the result. It is a gem!" -- Peter A. Geffen, Founder and Executive Director KIVUNIM Founder, The Abraham Joshua Heschel School, New York

Jews Under Moroccan Skies: Two Thousand Years of Jewish Life

Elmaleh, Rapha'el

Ricketts, George

Africa

All Breathing Life Adores Your Name is a book of prayers composed as poetry by the founder of the Jewish Renewal movement, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. This English language book of prayers introduces the reader to Jewish mysticism in contemporary life. Rabbi Lawrence Kushner has said that Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi's ideas and stories have "profoundly altered the landscape of American Judaism." And, it is in his tradition of originality and spiritual centeredness that Reb Zalman has opened a door for our souls with these prayer/poems. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, the author of both Jewish Literacy and A Code of Jewish Ethics, says of this book, "It is hard to pray for more than a few sentences in Hebrew if you don't know what you're saying. And it's hard to pray for more than a few sentences in English if the prayers don't touch and teach your heart. Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, the master davvener of our age has delivered a vital book, one that enables people to actually davven, not just pray, in English. Many have promised such a book, but this one delivers." Rodger Kamenetz, the author of both Burnt Books and The Jew in the Lotus, says, "One is grateful to Reb Zalman for bringing into English these Jewish prayers that have lived a long life in him. Indeed, his introductory notes show how these prayers have provided him solace, guidance and inspiration at key moments to a unique man of prayer, so that we can begin to understand not only what the words say but how they speak in the heart."

All Breathing Life

Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman

Poetry

As the first Jewish woman and Sephardic poet of importance in the United States, Emma Lazarus, struggled with recognition and acceptance among her peers during her lifetime, but more than a century later, her reputation overshadows them. In her lifetime her poem, "The New Colossus" had not yet become famous as it is today. Those words are now among the most widely quoted lines of poetry in America. Her Sephardic, or Spanish-Jewish background, is not often recognized although from the 1650s to the 1850s most Jews in the United States were Sephardic, and her family was among the early immigrants. As she developed as a writer and intellectual, she increasingly celebrated her Jewish and Sephardic roots, and she became the outstanding American Jewish poet that we recognize her as being today.The New Colossus "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp " cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door " --Emma Lazarus

Emma Lazarus: Sephardic Woman of Letters

Orit Rabkin

Emma Lazarus

Community & Culture

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