Are you facing the kind of illness that makes you think about your life? Are you a caregiver for a loved one? Are you a medical professional who wants to do more than aid a person's body? Are you struggling with what the word "God" might mean when your life has been changed by illness?

Through the lenses of personal stories and Jewish tradition, this guide can help you cope with the difficulties of disease, whether you are facing illness yourself, serving as a caregiver, or simply questioning where God is when we get sick. The sages of Judaism advocated having realistic expectations about illness while also seeking out the spirituality of relationships.

Judaism has traditionally understood healing to not only be a physical process but also a spiritual journey. While it is easy to be overwhelmed by the physical nature of illness, also neglecting the human spirit allows our sense of self to become threatened. To address these realities, Jewish tradition asks us to bring both those who

What is Jewish men's spirituality? In today s world, is it necessary?

A provocative look at how a new generation of Jewish men can grow spiritually, and in doing so, strengthen the intangible bonds of family, love, duty, and truth which ultimately lead to God. It unearths the male stereotypes that exist in Judaism and color our expectations for what it means to be a Jewish man in today s world. It examines Jewish sources that reveal the traditional life cycle of a man from son to partner in marriage to father and in doing so uncovers the ideals that define being a Jewish man. It also views Jewish men within the context of a sacred community and what that means for the sacred obligations of manhood."

Who am I? How do I feel about myself? Do I seem cool? Do I fit in?

"At a bar mitzvah people talk about becoming a man in the Jewish religion, but what is that supposed to mean? For sure it means you are no longer a child, but you are also not yet an adult. Fortunately, there's no one official definition of manhood, just as there is no one official way of being Jewish. That s where this book comes in." from the Preface

Courage, friends, stress, sex, God, identity these are some of the things that concern teen guys. This book addresses those concerns without preaching, judgment or criticism to help you figure out what becoming a Jewish man means to you.

It presents surprising facts, interesting stories, ideas and actions taken by Jewish men today and all the way back to biblical times to show how they answered the same kinds of questions you re asking yourself. It challenges stereotypes and myths, and offers different opinions, not only from old guys but from dozens of teenage Jewish guys just like you.

Like the Talmud, The JGuy s Guide offers many perspectives and reflection questions to help you find your own truths."

Insights, Ideas and Activities for Discussing with Teen Guys What It Means to Become a Jewish Man

A step-by-step guide to creative use of The JGuy's Guide: A GPS for Jewish Teen Guys in the classroom or at home. For each chapter in the book, this guide includes enough material for two or three hour-long lessons, each featuring: Clearly stated goalsA warm-up activityGuidance on using portions of the book, along with engaging discussion questionsA text selection, in Hebrew and English, connected to the topic of the lesson

This comprehensive teaching tool will help you create a safe space for personal sharing and learning.

An exploration of Judaism's most sacred statement and world-changing idea. "Hear O Israel, the Eternal is Our God, the Eternal is One " There is arguably no more important statement in Judaism than the Sh'ma. Its words calling us to hear, to listen, to pay attention defy direct translation and have meant different things throughout history. In a deeply personal exploration of this sacred proclamation, command, and prayer, Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler delves into the spiritual history of the Sh ma, inspiring you to claim your own personal meaning in these enduring words. By examining how the Sh ma has been commented upon by ancient sages and contemporary thinkers, he opens the doors between each generation that has found a different dimension of truth in the Sh ma. Each chapter focuses on a major historical figure and includes a sacred story, an exploration into the story s many meanings, and a suggestion for a new way of "hearing" the voice in the story. Experience the Sh ma through the lives of: w Moses Fighting Idolatry w Akiba ben Joseph The Sages Offer Their Lives w Saaida Gaon Proving the One w Moses Maimonides Nothing Like God w Haim Vital Communing with the One w Moses Haim Luzzatto Master of the Universe w Abraham Isaac Kook A Nation Reborn w Leo Baeck One Moral Standard w Abraham Joshua Heschel A Prophecy: One World or No World "