Mordecai M. Kaplan (1881-1983), founder of Reconstructionism and the rabbi who initiated the first Bat Mitzvah, also produced the longest Jewish diary on record. In twenty-seven volumes, written between 1913 and 1978, Kaplan shares not only his reaction to the great events of his time but also his very personal thoughts on religion and Jewish life. In Communings of the Spirit: The Journals of Mordecai M. Kaplan Volume III, 1942-1951, readers experience his horror at the persecution of the European Jews, as well as his joy in the founding of the State of Israel. Above all else, Kaplan was concerned with the survival and welfare of the Jewish people. And yet he also believed that the well-being of the Jewish people was tied to the safety and security of all people. In his own words, "Such is the mutuality of human life that none can be saved, unless all are saved". In the first volume of Communings of the Spirit, editor Mel Scult covers Kaplan's early years as a rabbi, teacher of rabbis, and community leader. In the second volume, readers experience the economic problems of the 1930s and their shattering impact on the Jewish community. The third volume chronicles Kaplan's spiritual and intellectual journey in the 1940s. With candour and vivid detail, Kaplan explores his evolving beliefs concerning a democratic Judaism; religious naturalism; and the conflicts, uncertainties, and self-doubts he faced in the first half of the twentieth century, including his excommunication by the ultra-Orthodox in 1945 for taking a more progressive approach to the liturgy. In his publications, Kaplan eliminated the time-honored declarations of Jewish chosen-ness as well as the outdated doctrines concerning the resurrection of the dead. He wanted a prayer book that Jews could feel reflected their beliefs and experiences; he believed that people must mean what they say when they pray. Kaplan was a man of contradictions, but because of that, all the more interesting and significant. Scholars of Judaica and rabbinical studies will value this honest look at the preeminent American Jewish thinker and rabbi of our times.

Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen offers 90 days of inspirational devotions to help you become the best that you can be in every area of your life.

In Become a Better You, Joel Osteen provided 7 key principles designed to improve and enrich your life. He explained how each insight will positively impact your goals, your confidence, your relationships, and your spiritual life. These principles are:

-Keep pressing forward
-Be positive toward yourself
-Develop better relationships
-Form better habits
-Embrace the place where you are
-Develop your inner life
-Stay passionate about life

With this devotional, Joel offers 90 days of thought-provoking messages, words of encouragement, and valuable scripture that emphasize the message of Become a Better You. This specially selected collection of biblical passages illuminates different points of Joel's messages and is designed to inspire you toward becoming all that God created you to be. He draws upon personal anecdotes to illustrate the passages and shows us how he and others have used the 7 principles to better themselves and deepen their relationship with God. As you incorporate Joel's easy-to-grasp concepts into your life, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more God has in store for you and how quickly you become a better you!