An authoritative call to end anti-fat bias and champion the acceptance of all bodies.

In this remarkable book, Minna Bromberg lays bare the harm of anti-fat bias and the restorative potential for body liberation in Jewish tradition to confront fatphobia. Bromberg traces her own journey of identity formation, bodily autonomy, and self-acceptance from her earliest memories of dieting at the age of seven to her young adult activism to the founding of her organization, Fat Torah. Letters reflecting on her personal experiences are interwoven with critical discussions about the need to address harmful stigma about fat bodies, to end fat shaming, and to engage meaningfully with questions of fat accessibility. Bromberg persuasively demonstrates what we can learn from Jewish tradition that will allow us to usher in a culture of healing and acceptance of all bodies created in the Divine image.

Dated 1909, A dialogue took place between a man and his Lord, stretching beyond the imaginations of all and superseding the works of man Allama Iqbal raises a series of complaints titled; Shikwa. The East was swept back in total astonishment as the controversy had begun. But little did they know that where there is a complaint surely a response will follow and it sure did. 1913 was the year the Allama Iqbal reclaimed his lost glory with the much awaited responce publication of Jawaab-e-Shikwa. It was claimed a `masterpiece'. It would be unjust not to translate it and relay such a unique, classical piece of work of Iqbal's.

"Rediscovering the Beauty of Sabbath Rest"
Our bodies and souls were "created "to rest--regularly--and when they do, we experience heightened productivity, improved health, and more meaningful relationships.
In these pages you'll find wonderful stories of the senator's spiritual journey, as well as special Sabbath experiences with political colleagues such as Bill Clinton, Al and Tipper Gore, John McCain, Colin Powell, George W. Bush, Bob Dole, and others. Senator Joe Lieberman shows how his observance of the Sabbath has not only enriched his personal and spiritual life but enhanced his career and enabled him to serve his country to his greatest capacity.

This book is part of the Islamic Teachings series compiled from the works and lectures of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. Zakah and Charity book provides readers with both a general overview and where needed, some in depth information and guidance on basics of Islam. All of the primary subjects within the three branches of Shariah, Aqidah (doctrine), Fiqh (jurisprudence), Tasawwuf (spirituality and self purification) are covered and a general basic understanding of Islam in a modern context through an easy way to follow question and answer format. Some of the most common yet unanswered, day to day issues are replied to using juristic methods from sound sources of Qur'an and Hadith. These are not only of benefit for the purpose of self study, for anybody of any age and from every walk of life, it is also a very useful reference source which caters for the needs of academic institutions, libraries and study circles.

In 1991, Ahmed Ali Haile returned to the chaos of his native Somalia with a clear mission: to bring warring clans together to find new paths of peace--often over a cup of tea. A grenade thrown by a detractor cost Haile his leg and almost his life, but his stature as a peacemaker remained. Whether in Somali's capital, Mogadishu, or among Somalis in Kenya, Europe, and the United States, Haile has been a tireless ambassador for the peace of Christ. Into this moving memoir of conversion and calling, Haile weaves poignant reflections on the meaning of his journey in the world of Islam. 144 Pages.

Ars Judaica is an annual publication of the Department of Jewish Art at Bar-Ilan University. It showcases the Jewish contribution to the visual arts and architecture from antiquity to the present from a variety of perspectives, including history, iconography, semiotics, psychology, sociology, and folklore. As such it is a valuable resource for art historians, collectors, curators, and all those interested in the visual arts. In this volume, Sarit Shalev-Eyni considers the Mahzor as a cosmological calendar, while Katrin Kogman-Appel looks at the work of Elisha ben Abraham, known as Cresques, in fourtheenth-century Mallorca. Evelyn M. Cohen discusses a surprising model for Charlotte Rothschild's Haggadah of 1842 and Ronit Sternberg examines sampler embroidery past and present as an expression of merging Jewish identity. Jechezkiel David Kirszenbaum's exploration of personal displacementis the subject of an article by Caroline Goldberg Igra, and the Great Synagogue on Tlomackie Street in Warsaw one by Eleanora Bergman. The Special Item by Sergey R. Kravtsov and Vladimir Levin is devoted to Perek Shirah on a wall of the Great Synagogue in Radyvyliv. The volume also includes book reviews and an appreciation of the life of Alfred Moldovan by William L. Gross. Contributors: Ziva Amishai-Maisels, Professor, History of Art Department, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Eleonora Bergman, Emanuel Ringelbaum Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw, Evelyn M. Cohen, Professor, Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), New York, Caroline Goldberg Igra, Guest Curator, Beit Hatfusot, Tel Aviv, William L. Gross, Collector, Tel Aviv, Katrin Kogman-Appel, Professor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Sergey R. Kravtsov, Center for Jewish Art, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Vladimir Levin, Center for Jewish Art, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Sarit Shalev-Eyni, History of Art Department, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Larry Silver, History of Art Department, University of Pennsylvania, Ronit Steinberg, History and Theory Department, Bezalel Academy of Arts and design, Jerusalem Volumes of Ars Judaica are distributed by the Littman Library of Jewish Civilization throughout the world, except Israel. Orders and enquiries from Israeli customers should be directed to: Ars Judaica Department of Jewish Art Bar-Ilan University Ramat-Gan 52900 telephone 03 5318413 fax 03 6359241 email [email protected]

The world is facing a great dilemma due to despicable, inhumane and barbaric acts of terrorism, indiscriminate killings, warfare, anarchy, disorder and suicide bombings over the past two decades. It is not only destroying the peace of any specific region, group or country but has become a major threat to world peace. Young People and Students living in various western countries who do not have conceptual clarity regarding Islam are wronglyconsidering terrorism and indiscriminate killing to be Jihad and are being drawn towards it.A further disturbing issue with regards to this is that the terrorists declare their evil goals to be part of the Islamic concept of Jihad. Furthermore they speak of enforcing the Islamic Shariah according to their extremist and terrorist ideology. They call for the re-establishment of the Caliphate as part of their ideology; and they use the Islamic terminologies and concepts of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) to legally justify their claims. By quoting the Qur'an, hadith and texts from the books of Islamic Law out of context, they influence common Muslims who are not acquainted with the true teachings of Islam, especially youngsters.There is a need to provide authentic, comprehensive material against extremism to all people, from every walk of life, according to their needs, so that the conceptual and ideological confusions which may lead to terrorismcan be eliminated. The Islamic Curriculum on Peace and Counter-Terrorism was prepared for this purpose. This curriculum has 3 parts and aims to provide resources from the Holy Qur'an, Hadith and authoritative books to provide a comprehensive ideological and theological background to all the key areas that are utilised to brainwash youngsters.The Islamic Curriculum on Peace and Counter-Terrorism has been compiled under the supervision and guidance of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri - who is the author of the Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings.

Despite the ongoing global expansion of Christianity, there remains a lack of comprehensive scholarship on its development in Asia. This volume fills the gap by exploring the world of Asian Christianity and its manifold expressions, including worship, theology, spirituality, inter-religious relations, interventions in society, and mission. The contributors, from over twenty countries, deconstruct many of the widespread misconceptions and interpretations of Christianity in Asia. They analyze how the growth of Christian beliefs throughout the continent is linked with the socio-political and cultural processes of colonization, decolonization, modernization, democratization, identity construction of social groups, and various social movements. With a particular focus on inter-religious encounters and emerging theological and spiritual paradigms, the volume provides alternative frames for understanding the phenomenon of conversion and studies how the scriptures of other religious traditions are used in the practice of Christianity within Asia. The Oxford Handbook of Christianity in Asia draws insightful conclusions on the historical, contemporary, and future trajectory of its subject by combining the contributions of scholars in a wide variety of disciplines, including theology, sociology, history, political science, and cultural studies. It will be an invaluable resource for understanding Christianity in a global context.

In 1839 a group of Hindu elite gathered in Calcutta to share and propagate their faith in a non-idolatrous form of worship. The group, known as the Tattvabodhinl Sabha, met weekly to worship and hear discourses from members on ways to promote a rational and morally responsible mode of worship. They called upon ancient sources of Hindu spirituality to guide them in developing a modern form of theism they referred to as "Vedanta." In this book, Brian Hatcher situates the theology and moral vision set forth in these hitherto unknown discourses against the backdrop of religious and social change in early colonial Calcutta. In doing so, he demonstrates how the theology of the Tattvabodhinl Sabha legitimated the worldly interests of Calcutta's emergent bourgeoisie. This 'bourgeois Vedanta' sanctioned material prosperity while providing members with a means of spiritual fulfillment.
Hatcher's important study includes the first ever complete, annotated translation of Sabhyadiger vaktrta, the earliest extant record of the Tattvabodhinl Sabha. The translation is supplemented with a detailed analysis of the text demonstrating that its twenty-one unsigned discourses were composed by such major figures in nineteenth-century Bengal as Debendranath Tagore, Isvaracandra Vidyasagara, Isvaracandra Gupta, and Aksayakumara Datta. In many cases, these are the earliest known writings we have for such individuals.
This rare set of discourses provides Hatcher with an opportunity to explore a decisive moment in the construction of modern Vedanta, and to comment on the concerns this Vedantic movement raised for contemporary Christian observers. Hatcher is able to demonstrate the decisive role played bythe Tattvabodhinl Sabha in both reviving and reformulating the teachings of Rammohan Roy, the founder of Vedantic reform in colonial India. At the same time, Hatcher suggests that the earliest members of the Sabha are best viewed as 'Brhamos without Rammohan.' Only later would they look to Rammohan as their founding father.
Apart from bringing to light the guiding ideals of an association that was to have a profound influence on religious and intellectual life in nineteenth-century Bengal, Hatcher's analysis will promote reflection on a variety of topics central to understanding the development of modern forms of Hindu belief and practice.