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Everyone thinks about cybersecurity now and then. Whether you're setting up your business' website, or opening a new checking account, or sitting down with your child to get on the internet; it's an issue that affects all of us. Cybercrimes and the security of our private and government cyber infrastructure are critical parts of the department's mission to secure our homeland – by making sure that we are all safer online.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the Secretary was joined this morning by Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III, White House National Security Staff Acting Senior Director for Cybersecurity Chris Painter, Deputy Under Secretary for NPPD and Director of the National Cybersecurity Center Phil Reitinger, and Director of the Secret Service Mark Sullivan at an event here in Washington, D.C. to kick it off. During the event, Secretary Napolitano took the opportunity to announce the department's new authority to recruit and hire up to 1,000 cybersecurity professionals across DHS to fill critical roles – including cyber risk and strategic analysis; cyber incident response; vulnerability detection and assessment; intelligence and investigation; and network and systems engineering.
"Effective cybersecurity requires all partners—individuals, communities, government entities and the private sector—to work together to protect our networks and strengthen our cyber resiliency," said Secretary Napolitano. "This new hiring authority will enable DHS to recruit the best cyber analysts, developers and engineers in the world to serve their country by leading the nation's defenses against cyber threats."
- Make sure that you have anti-virus software and firewalls installed, properly configured, and up-to-date. New threats are discovered every day, and keeping your software updated is one of the easier ways to protect yourself from an attack. Set your computer to automatically update for you.
- Update your operating system and critical program software. Software updates offer the latest protection against malicious activities. Turn on automatic updating if that feature is available.
- Back up key files. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc and store it in a safe place.
Endorse - Demonstrate your commitment to cybersecurity.
- Create a section for cybersecurity on your organization's Web site.
- Add a signature block to your e-mail:"October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Stay Safe Online!
- Find more resources at US CERT.
Educate - Find out what more you can do to secure cyberspace and how you can share this with others.
- Participate in the National Cyber Security Alliance Cyber Security Awareness Volunteer Education (C-SAVE) Program and help educate elementary, middle, and high-school students about Internet safety and security.
- Review cybersecurity tips with your family.
- Use regular communications in your business—newsletters, e-mail alerts, Web sites, etc.—to increase awareness on issues like updating software processes, protecting personal identifiable information, and securing your wireless network.
Check out the new Cybersecurity Awareness Month page on dhs.gov to learn more, and stay tuned throughout the month.
The Secretary testified today before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about evaluating threats of terrorism in the United States after 9/11.
Here is a brief excerpt of the Secretary's remarks; you can find the full text at ___:
DHS is pursuing a collaborative, layered, strategic approach, working with the public and all levels of government to build the Nation's overall capacity to prevent or respond to any threat that may arise. All of DHS' law enforcement components focus on counterterrorism as part of their mission. These DHS components collaborate extensively with each other and with federal partners—such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC)—on important counterterrorism operations.
As a critical part of our efforts, DHS is reinvigorating its coordination and collaboration with our state, local, and tribal partners—the Nation's first preventers and first responders. The work of state, local, and tribal law enforcement at the local level puts them in the best position to notice when something is out of place and warrants a closer look—which is often the first step to thwarting a domestic terrorism plot. The Department facilitates information sharing with state, local, and tribal law enforcement to improve their understanding of domestic terrorist threat, in part by filling information gaps between the federal Intelligence Community (IC) and the Nation's thousands of law enforcement agencies. DHS is also strengthening the Department's intelligence enterprise by supporting the state and major urban area fusion centers where state, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement and other emergency response providers share information and intelligence.
The Department also works with a wide variety of communities, individuals and civic organizations to promote preparedness, community engagement and partnerships that constitute a strong defense against violent extremism. In all our work, we ensure that DHS and our partners act with the highest regard for the Constitution and the laws of the land. As President Obama has said, our security and our liberty are not mutually exclusive values—DHS aggressively protects both.
The full transcript is also available.
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Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urged government, communities and citizens to become more ready and resilient to face disasters ranging from terrorism to natural disasters to diseases in a major policy speech at the American Red Cross in Washington, DC, Tuesday.
Napolitano emphasized measures undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as Citizen Corps in boosting readiness and resilience over the first nine months of the Obama administration. Among those accomplishments has been the introduction of no-notice training drills, Napolitano announced. To date, FEMA has held one such drill, where senior leaders must respond to an unfolding disaster scenario presented to them much like a student would face a pop quiz in class.
"Under the leadership of FEMA Administrator Fugate, we are holding no-notice disaster exercises to ensure that our senior leadership is ready to respond swiftly and effectively to a range of disasters at a moment's notice," Napolitano stated. "That's very different from the past, where all exercises were scripted out well in advance so it felt like we were planning out a Shakespearean drama rather than an actual disaster."
From WIBW-TV Topeka, KS, on Cybersecurity Awareness Month:
Events are planned in Washington, D.C. Thursday to launch October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will join Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III and White House National Security Staff Acting Senior Director for Cybersecurity Chris Painter to kick off the awareness campaign.
Homeland Security says the month is designed to educate all citizens and key public and private sector partners on how to guard against cyber threats at home, work and school.
National Protection and Programs Directorate Under Secretary Rand Beers and National Cyber Security Alliance Director Michael Kaiser will also deliver remarks at the event in Washington, D.C.
Leadership Events
Secretary Napolitano will testify about evaluating threats of terrorism in the United States after 9/11 before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Public Events
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Transportation Sector Network Management Assistant Administrator John Sammon will testify about the future of the Registered Traveler program before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
311 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara will testify about the Coast Guard's search and rescue mission before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
NPPD Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security & Communications Greg Schaffer will participate in a panel discussion about the effect of broadband on cybersecurity at the Broadband Cyber Security Workshop
Federal Communications Commission Headquarters
Commission Meeting Room
445 12th St. SW
FEMA Assistant Administrator of the National Continuity Programs Directorate Damon Penn will testify about the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
2167 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C.
ICE Office of Investigations Director Kumar Kibble will participate in a media availability with Deputy Attorney General David Ogden to announce the launch of the Arizona Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force strike force
3010 North 2nd St
Phoenix, Ariz.
In July, I outlined our approach to our first priority – countering the threat of a terrorist attack. In August, I spoke about the new approach we're taking to border security.
Today, in remarks at the American Red Cross, I'm speaking about another important mission: readiness and resilience.
Our nation may be better prepared than we were before 9/11. But there is much more we can – and should – do. And to get there, we must treat our nation's preparedness as a shared responsibility, one where everyone has a role to play.
Civilians are usually the first to arrive in a crisis, and history shows that they are critical in those important first minutes. And these citizen responders can be an even more potent force by:
- Taking CPR training from the Red Cross
- Training with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Knowing when to take shelter or evacuate
- Pre-planning evacuation routes and where to meet after a disaster strikes
So today, I'm calling on all Americans, across the country, to do two things.
First, take these basic steps:
- get an emergency kit;
- make a family reunification plan; and
- become informed about the types of emergencies your community is most likely to encounter.
Together, we can build a culture of readiness and resilience, and together we can build a more secure future.
Janet Napolitano
No one likes to spend that much time thinking about what could happen – be it a natural disaster or otherwise – but the steps you take to prepare for the unthinkable can make the difference for your place of business, your school, and especially your home. And, it's the American way: being ready and resilient has helped our nation surmount its biggest challenges for two centuries.
So as National Preparedness Month comes to a close, the Secretary has one more request of you: ask a question. Stand up at school, or at work, or at home, and ask, "What's our plan?"
The Secretary will deliver a speech at The American Red Cross National Headquarters this afternoon at 2:15 PM EDT on preparedness, and wants to make one final pitch to the American public during the month of September. Bring it up the next time you attend a meeting at your child's high school, or at church, or around the dinner table. This is a shared responsibility, and we all have a role to play in building a culture where these questions, and this dialogue, are commonplace.
Watch the speech LIVE at http://www.dhs.gov/ starting at 2:15 PM EDT.
Then visit ready.gov to learn more.
The pictures tell the story: Thousands upon thousands of U.S. $20 and $50 bills, crisply stacked and banded into neat packets and carefully tucked away into shipping containers filled with bags of ammonium and sodium sulfate bound for Colombia.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), working with our law enforcement partners in Colombia, made the initial seizure on September 10 of $11.2 million from a shipment at the port of Buenaventura, Colombia. Subsequent investigation by ICE, Colombian authorities and Mexican authorities revealed additional shipments in Buenaventura and Manzanillo, Mexico, with large amounts of cash hidden inside.
The total is jaw-dropping -- at least $40.5 million and counting, as of this writing -- and it constitutes the largest container bulk cash smuggling seizure in ICE, U.S. and Colombian history. It's an investigative success we might not have achieved without closely collaborating with our counterparts in Mexico and Colombia, and it is a testament to what can be accomplished through this collaboration.
At this point, the investigation has not yet identified the organizations or individuals behind these shipments. However, it is well-established that the two ports in question are key points of a route used for smuggling cocaine northward to Mexico and the United States, and for sending cash back into Colombia. The scheme is believed to have been perpetrated by or on behalf of a major trafficking organization, or organizations, operating in Colombia.
Perhaps most important is what these seized dollars represent. Every illicit dollar we can stop from flowing across the border is one less dollar going to fuel the cartels' operations. It's one less dollar they can use to buy guns, or to pay a corrupt official to look the other way. By targeting the flow of money, we hit the traffickers where it hurts most.
John Morton is the Assistant Secretary for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Nine members and associates of a Bell Gardens street gang, including a suspected hit man for a Mexican drug cartel, have been arrested on drug trafficking and weapons charges, federal officials said Friday.
The suspects -- six U.S. citizens and three illegal Mexican immigrants -- were arrested Thursday as agents served search warrants in Bell Gardens and Los Angeles, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. Their arrests culminated a nine-month investigation by the agency of the Barrio Evil 13 street gang.
Several assault weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle, a Tec-9 submachine gun, a MAC-11 submachine gun and a sawed-off shotgun, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition also were recovered.
"This is a relatively small and newer gang that has been operating with impunity for the last several years," said Kevin Kozak, deputy special agent in charge of ICE's Los Angeles office of investigations. "They have access to significant weapons . . . and claims they can have access to military-grade weapons through a 'friend' in the military."
From IDG News, on the department's privacy report:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's annual privacy report card revealed more details on the agency's controversial policy involving searches of electronic devices at U.S. borders.
The 99-page report, which was released Thursday, also offered details on the agency's efforts to address privacy risks in social media and the use of imaging technologies that produce whole-body scans at airport security checkpoints.
The report is the first DHS privacy assessment released to Congress since the new administration took office. It covers the activities of the DHS Privacy Office between July 2008 and June 2009.
For the most part, the report is a compilation of privacy-related activities across the DHS during this period. However, it also offered lesser-known details about some DHS programs. For instance, numbers released in the report indicate that warrantless searches of electronic devices at U.S. borders are occurring less frequently than some privacy and civil rights advocates might have feared.
Public Events
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton will participate in a media availability with representatives from the Colombian and Mexican governments to announce the seizure of more than $41 million in U.S. currency discovered during a joint investigation.
ICE Headquarters Potomac Center North500 12th Street SW
Washington, D.C.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate will deliver remarks about preparedness at the Temple University Annual Preparedness Fair
Temple University1101 West Montgomery AvenuePhiladelphia, Penn.
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen will deliver remarks about current Coast Guard activities at the National Cargo Bureau luncheon
Georgetown Club
1530 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, D.C.
Throughout September, National Preparedness Month, the department has called on the American people to play a role in our nation's preparedness. To further that goal, DHS is carrying this message specifically to parents and families.
Take some time today to visit our family preparedness website. Here you can learn about resources designed specifically to help families learn how to prepare their homes and families for emergencies.
You can also sign up for a weekly e-mail to stay informed about pressing issues and new tools to keep you prepared. Sign up today.
President Barack Obama announced Tuesday he intends to nominate his
Southwest border czar to be commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.
As commissioner, Alan Bersin would lead a Homeland Security Department
security agency that helps keep terrorists and their weapons out of the country
while securing and facilitating travel and trade as it enforces hundreds of
regulations, including export and import controls, immigration and drug
The appointment requires Senate confirmation.
Since April, Bersin has been serving in a position created by the Obama
administration to handle illegal immigration and border issues. During this
time, Bersin has worked closely with the Mexican government to combat drug
From Federal Computer Week, on the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' website:
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a
revamped Web portal that agency officials say is more user-friendly, interactive
and informative than its predecessor.
The upgraded site allows applicants for citizenship and related
benefits to follow the progress of their cases. They can choose to receive
notifications through e-mail messages or text messages when the status of an
application changes, the agency said.
The redesigned USCIS.gov has, for the first time, a Spanish language
version. It also provides access to national trend data and raw data that can be
used in additional applications. USCIS petitions and applications will be
accessible through the case status feature, and include applications for
naturalization and certificate of citizenship, as well as petitions related to
the status of non-immigrant workers and relatives and fiancées from other
"It's part of a broader effort in this agency and it is in keeping with
[Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's] emphasis as well as the
administration's emphasis on transparency," Alejandro Mayorkas, USCIS' director,
said in an interview Sept. 21. USCIS is an agency under the Homeland Security
Leadership Events
Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks at the News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis workshop
Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore
Calvert Ballroom
20 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Md.
Secretary Napolitano and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will announce Recovery Act-funded port, transit and fire station grants and participate in a media Inner Harbor
Pier 1, Constellation Dock
301 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, Md.
Public Events
NPPD Director of Software Assurance Joe Jarzombek will deliver remarks about the role of software assurance in the workplace at the Quality Assurance Institute and Quality Assurance Association of Maryland Regional Conference
The Conference Center at the Maritime Institute
692 Maritime Blvd.
Linthicum Heights, Md.
NPPD Under Secretary Rand Beers will deliver keynote remarks at the Chicago Regional Emergency Management Conference
McCormick Place
2302 S. Lake Shore Drive, Room E353
Chicago, Ill.
NPPD Critical Infrastructure Protection Director Patrick Beggs will deliver remarks about critical infrastructure protection at the ASIS 2009 Conference
Anaheim Convention Center
800 West Katella Avenue
Anaheim, Calif.
NPPD Infrastructure Information Collection Division Deputy Director Steven King will deliver remarks about DHS Critical Infrastructure Protection Tools and Resources at the ASIS 2009 Conference
Anaheim Convention Center
800 West Katella Avenue
Anaheim, Calif.
Federal Protective Service Director Gary Schenkel will testify about risk-based security before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
2167 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
NPPD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications Rear Admiral Michael Brown will participate in a panel discussion at the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium Plenary
Fair Lakes Hyatt
12777 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, Va.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas will participate in a media availability about his vision for the agency and current initiatives USCIS District Office
300 North Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, Calif.


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Cinnamon Squash Rings
35 minutes
2 Tbl. packed Brown Sugar
2 Tbl. Milk
1 Egg
3/4 C soft Bread Crumbs (about 2 1/2 slices bread)
1/4 C Cornmeal
2 tsp. ground Cinnamon
1 large Acorn Squash (1 1/2 pounds), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and seeded
1/3 C Margarine or Butter. melted
How to make it
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix brown sugar, milk and egg.
Mix bread crumbs, cornmeal and cinnamon.
Dip squash slices into egg mixture, then coat with bread crumb mixture; repeat.
Place in ungreased rectangular pan, 13X9X2-inches.
Drizzle with margarine or butter.
Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until squash is tender.
Print it!

subset: commoncrawl


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Pop Culture
The Interfaith Couples of ConnectedBy Gerri Miller
An interview with the two interfaith couples on the new show Connected where stars film their own relationshipsGo To Pop Culture
Tag Archives: Growing up in an Interfaith Family
Giving to Those Who Give to Me
This weekend, my girls received special gifts from The PJ Library. A box came for each of them in the mail, and inside was a beautiful new Tzedakah box and a box of "Kindness Cards" that can be used for four special mensch-themed games to remind the players about six important Jewish values related to tzedakah, or charity. My girls were thrilled, and spent the better part of the day carrying around the boxes and admiring the colorful cards.
The boxes also came smack in the middle of the holiday weekend highlighted by both Thanksgiving and Black Friday (and its companion consumption-oriented Saturday, Sunday, and Monday). Even though I try to focus on the calm family togetherness vibe of Thanksgiving and avoid shopping, I still can't help getting caught up in the bit of the gift-list-making and shopping-planning that the Black Friday coverage instills. So it was good to have these tzedakah boxes arrive on Black Friday, to remind me about the importance of both making tzedakah and talk of tzedakah a part of my family's December traditions.
I will admit I could be much more organized with my giving, but when I feel I can give, I try to do so, and I generally try to give in three pots. The first is to causes or charities where I feel there is a real need being met – something from which I may never benefit but where I believe important work is happening to really change people's lives. The second is that I try to set aside some funds to give to charities friends are involved with, so that when someone is pouring their heart into a fundraiser or working for or directly benefiting from a service, I can appreciate them through a connection. And the third is to places that provide a benefit to me, where I cannot pay in direct proportion to that benefit but where I can give a little to recognize how important they are in my own life.
The PJ Library Tzedakah box was a gift to my children to excite them about tzedakah. It reminded me, though, that we are a part of the tzedakah work of PJ Library. The Kindness Cards feature pictures from a number of the girls' favorite books, books that have helped them relate to and understand their Judaism. They have also given them a library where books about Jewish things are just a part of the stories they love, not the rare find they were when I was a girl. So while they will put money in the boxes and dedicate coins to the causes that resonate with the huge hearts in their small bodies, I have decided a little bit of my coins should go back to the PJ Library.
Even before the boxes came, I was also getting excited about #GivingTuesday and helping out InterfaithFamily in their first year of participation. Because as I decide how much I can extend into the three pots this holiday season, and how to balance my gift-giving with my tzedakah, I appreciate the strong role of InterfaithFamily in my Interfaith Journey over the last 15 years. InterfaithFamily provided Eric and I with the list of clergy people willing to perform our wedding ceremony, and led us to a wise, kind and generous rabbi who felt passionately about the need to welcome Interfaith couples into Judaism from the get-go. Personally, it has given me the very special opportunity to be a writer, and to reflect openly on my parenting path. InterfaithFamily has provided countless holiday resources to my family, and has helped us find new ways to explore the traditions we are building, Jewish and otherwise. Even more, it is helping to create an environment within the Jewish community where my girls can feel welcomed and able to embrace their whole selves in ways that weren't widely available even a generation ago.
Everyone has their own way of deciding how to weave tzedakah into their giving, and the scope of each family's ability to give is widely different. If you don't, though, I'd encourage you to take a moment (maybe even a moment on Tuesday) to think about how you can give to those who have given to you. A quick peek at the #GivingTuesday website is a great way to start. And if InterfaithFamily has been important in your Interfaith Journey, too, you can skip that website and give here.
Ending the Shabbat Protests
Three weeks ago, I read Jodi S. Rosenfeld's post about peeking through her fingers at her kids during candle lighting instead of focusing on her own prayerful moment with a twinge of envy. Rosenfeld's urge to peek is certainly one I've had, too. And recently, it's the kind of challenge I've longed for in contrast to what's been going on at our Shabbat table. For weeks, Ruthie refused to participate in our blessings, sometimes trying to sing (or yell) over our prayers. The only way to welcome Shabbat to our table without protest was to allow her to retreat to her room during prayer time, which broke my heart a little bit. Getting her back to the table required that I stop trying to model the rituals exactly how Eric and I defined them, but instead adapt them so that she felt like a full participant.
Shabbat has always been a special time for our family. It adds a transition into our lives from week to weekend, it reminds us of how nice a family dinner can be, and it creates "an event" even when the agenda is staying in for the night. Ruthie has always enjoyed the singing and the candles and the food, and her little sister Chaya lights up when I strike the match to begin our celebration.
But in spite of all of the loveliness of Shabbat, Friday nights are hard, and they have become harder since Ruthie started a (wonderful) all-day elementary school program. She is exhausted from a full week of school. Her sister is starving (Chaya is usually ravenous, but it always feels a little worse on Fridays). Often we are running around because Eric or I stayed a little too late at work, trying to wrap things up for the weekend. Our house is usually at its most tired, too, so we are sometimes washing dishes to set the table or moving piles of papers around to clear off our dining space.
In this environment of exhaustion, a couple of months ago Ruthie decided she didn't want to do Shabbat. When I asked her why, I didn't get very far at first. "Because it's stupid." "Because I don't like the prayers." "Because I am hungry."
And then, finally, an answer I could work with:
"I don't want to be Jewish, Mommy."
Ouch. That hurt. But I didn't want to let on just yet.
"Why, Ruthie?"
"Because I don't understand the prayers. We don't say them in English, and I don't know what we're saying."
"Could we try doing Shabbat again if we said the prayers in English?"
"Sure," she agreed.
I remembered that last Passover InterfaithFamily had turned me onto Gateways, a fantastic organization that provides resources for children with special educational needs to engage in Jewish Learning. Turns out, their resources are great for people of all abilities and ages. Their blessing sheets, complete with visual supports, are exactly what we needed to meet Ruthie's request.
Two weeks ago, I printed out copies of the Gateways blessings for us to use during prayers. With these, we started a new ritual, where Ruthie reads the blessings in English before we chant the prayers in Hebrew. Her enthusiasm has grown, as she leads the blessings with great pride. For now, the protests are over, and I can focus on trying not to peek again.
Reason # 1: Why Being Interfaith is a Plus
When you are a mixed-faith couple, you loose the ability to assume from the get go. The question is not when we celebrate Yom Kippur, with whose family will we break fast? We need to start from more basic questions: Will we celebrate Yom Kippur? Will we both fast? And now that we have kids, how will we celebrate with our kids?
This inability to assume, and therefore the need to have an intention about our practice, is one of the greatest things about being from different faiths. In my marriage and co-parenting, I think this sometimes gives us a leg up, and its something that I wish was celebrated more.
When my husband and I were first thinking about marriage, we went to meet with a rabbi who ran a course for interfaith couples. Before he told us about the class, he asked us if we thought we'd have a Jewish home. We told him we thought so, but we hadn't figured everything out yet. With this in mind, he recommended that rather than taking his interfaith class, we take his Intro to Judaism class, to figure out if we were going to be an interfaith family or a Jewish family (he had marriage classes for both).
So we took the class. It was a great class. We learned that we loved to study together. And the class triggered a long series of conversations, about what holidays we wanted to celebrate, and how, about how we imagined marking life cycle events, and, at the core, about what it meant that we would create a home and life together, a nuclear family that melded the two individual histories we brought to the coupledom.
[As an aside, InterfaithFamily has a great online workshop for interfaith couples called "Love & Religion" that you can learn more about here.]
This is where the "leg up" comes to bear. All pairings, whether you were raised next door to one another or in different countries, bring two separate perspectives on life to the table when they marry. In an interfaith pairing, the separation between the perspectives is pronounced, highlighted by the difference in two easy to identify components of family history. This can be a gift – a gift in that the differences shout out to us, and demand attention. For Eric and me, it meant the dialogue about how "he" and "I" would become "we" started before our engagement, before we were thrown into trying to make a wedding that was fun for everyone (it was!), building a home together, and raising kids. It demanded a way to talk about things, to identify difference, and to navigate it.
I'm not saying we're perfect at it, but sometimes in same-faith couples, the differences are subtle, and they whisper until they need attention, often coming as a surprise. While our life together is not without our share of these surprises, I am thankful, particularly as we try to parent a 4-year-old who is as strong-willed and self-determined as I know I was at 4, that the interfaith dynamic of our relationship made negotiating differences a part of our life and commitment from day one.
Being interfaith is often talked about as a challenge, a barrier that separates you from the rest of the community. While I won't deny the challenges, I think perhaps we have a few positive things we can teach to those who "in-marry." Can you name some others?
This is my Story. What's Yours?
My name is Jane Larkin and I'm excited to be one of the new writers for InterfaithFamily's parenting blog. I'm the Jewish half of an interfaith couple creating a Jewish home. I live in Dallas, TX with my husband Cameron and eight-year-old son Sammy. Cameron lives Jewishly and is actively involved in raising Sammy within Judaism. But this isn't my whole story.
As a Jewish young adult, I always assumed I would marry a Jew and I did. But after two years the marriage ended in divorce. The relationship failed because I married for religion, not love. I wanted to prove to my family that I could in-marry, which is not the best criteria for choosing a mate.
The fact that in-marriage was important to my family was ironic since I came from a family in which intermarriage and Jewish continuity had co-existed for generations. My subsequent intermarriage was just following in my family's footsteps.
My maternal great-grandmother was not Jewish when she married my great-grandfather in the 1920s. She never converted, but lived her life as a Jew within Conservative Judaism and raised Jewish children – one being my maternal grandmother.
My grandmother was married to the son of an Orthodox cantor by a prominent Conservative rabbi in the 1940s when no denomination recognized patrilineal descent. My grandmother's religious lineage was kept secret since it was known that neither she nor her future children would be accepted as Jews. Still, my grandfather's Orthodox parents accepted the match recognizing that inclusiveness was a good investment in a Jewish future.
My father also came from an interfaith home. His mother was not Jewish, but she too created a Jewish home and supported Jewish family life. My dad became a
What all of this interfaith family history means is that technically, my family is not Jewish even though we have practiced and identified as Jews for generations. I often wonder how many other Jews have interfaith DNA in their genealogical closet. I suspect that there are others that choose to keep their religious lineage a secret even though families like mine are now recognized as Jewish by the Reform and Reconstructionist movements.
So this is my family's interfaith and Jewish story. I hope that by sharing it that you will be encouraged to share yours too.
Five Things People Assume When Your Spouse/Partner Isn't Jewish
Whenever we meet someone new, I always worry about the reaction they will have when I tell them that my husband isn't Jewish. I keep having images of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof ripping his clothes in mourning when he found out his daughter married a non Jew. While that hasn't happened, I have found that some people can be pretty opinionated on the issue of intermarriage.
I think we have found a fairly open community, open in that people are accepting of us, but in some cases it is very much a "don't talk/don't tell" kind of relationship.
So here goes, my top five things people assume when your partner isn't Jewish:
1) You don't care about Jewish spirituality. I admit, when we got married, I didn't care that much about Jewish spirituality, but I cared enough that I wanted certain elements in our ceremony (breaking the glass, mentioning G-d…). We have grown and have learned there is a lot to Jewish spirituality, a lot of amazing things!
2) You probably belong to a Reform synagogue. I actually go to a Modern Orthodox synagogue. I don't feel that the Reform path is for me. And that's ok.
3) You probably don't keep Kosher or Shabbat. Yes, we are kosher in this household. We don't have separate dishes yet, but it is on the radar. My son and I keep Shabbat, no driving, using the phone, etc., etc. We have a beautiful Shabbat dinner and lunch. That being said, I do give my husband a "pass" every now and again, because I know he needs that space.
4) You celebrate non Jewish holidays. Every family is different. We are a full time Jewish household. Other families do some of the non Jewish holidays and some do everything.
5) You are the reason that Jewish continuity is threatened. Oy. Yes I know. It says in the Torah. When the time comes (after 120 years), I will have that discussion with G-d. I know plenty of Jewish people who are Jewishly married who don't really care about Jewish spirituality. Yes, genetically they are Jewish and their kids are Jewish. From what I'm seeing it is getting harder and harder to guilt these types of families into marrying Jewish.
Ahad Ha'am has said, "More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews." What does this mean? It means that Jewish continuity occurs in the families that have shown some interest in Jewish mitzvot, ritual, and spirituality. I read a statistic that about 30-40% of intermarried families are raising their children with Jewish spirituality. (Not too bad!)
Is a kid in an intermarried family, raised with Jewish values, more likely to "stay Jewish" (for lack of a better term) than a kid in a fully Jewish family raised with no Jewish values?
What would you add to the list?
I Don't Like Purim
My first exposure to Purim came when my husband and I brought our then two year old daughter to the synagogue he attended through his childhood. I had her dressed as a fairy, and she was so stinking cute, waving her little wand and clutching her tiara. The rabbi jumped out from behind something and roared at her – he was dressed in a giant gorilla costume. He was delighted and happy, everyone laughed. My toddler was distinctly not amused, she was terrified. I was even less amused – I was just furious.
Fast forward a few years, and Purim didn't really get any better. When my second child was born, Purim was a disaster. He wasn't a fan of crowds anyway, and taking him to the Megillah reading, with all the noisemakers – he screamed louder than any of them. I'd pull him out of the service, but we could still hear the loud noisemakers and every time Haman's name was read, not only would his name be drowned out, the noise of the noisemakers was drowned out as well, by the hysterical sobbing of a terrified boy.
The more I read about the Purim story, the less impressed I was. Queen Esther seems to be held up as a pinnacle of bravery. But she really didn't do much more than be pretty and do as she was told. On the upside, discussion of it did inspire a lot of conversation around here about the role of women and generations of learned Torah scholars interpreting the story to highlight the qualities that were most conducive to keeping women in a submissive position in society. Esther was the king's wife, not because she was smart or brave, but because she was beautiful. And she saved the Jewish people not because she knew it had to be done, not because she independently made the decision to risk her own safety by appearing before the king without being summoned, but because she listened to the male head of her family and did as she was told.
And I don't like hamentaschen. Prune filled cookies are confusing to me, I'd much rather a nice chocolate chip cookie
Bat Mitzvah
I get weekly emails from my synagogue, and, a few weeks ago, I noticed that there was a little paragraph tucked in between notices from the Sisterhood and requests for coat donations. A bar/
And the more I thought about it, the more emotional I got. Which isn't surprising, I cry at pretty much every milestone. Dance recitals, preschool graduations, her first real report card. But a bat mitzvah seems like it's so important. Not only because she's the first in my husband's family, of her generation, to read from the Torah. Not only because my family will come, of course they'll come, but won't have the foggiest idea what we'll be doing. But also because the bat mitzvah has so much meaning attached to it. It's coming right when I'm starting to realize that this baby girl, this tiny little baby of mine isn't always going to be mine. She's her own person – and that's terrifying and wonderful and, yeah, I'm welling up with tears as I'm writing. I'm going to be in so much trouble with this…
That's what the bat mitzvah is – it's a public acknowledgement that we're Jewish, and that Jessica is Jewish. That she's responsible for herself now, that she's going to take ownership of her own religious identity in a way that I've been worrying about since before she was born. What will her religious identity be? She's Jewish, yes, but not only Jewish. She's inherited a rich family tradition dating back thousands of years. She's also the product of my side of the family, a family filled with people who have no strong tie to any organized religion but a very strong and heartfelt connection to God.
She's all intellectual questioning rules and ritual on the one hand, and on the other, she's got a sincere and absolute relationship with God that, as far as I can see, she's never doubted. She blends both of us, the Jewish side from her father, and the spiritual intensity from me. She's got an extra dash of drama and wonder and intensity that's all her own. And it makes me cry. I'm not sure if I'm crying because I'm grieving the loss of the little girl who's growing up so fast, or if I'm crying because I'm so incredibly proud of the woman she'll be.
When she was born, my husband picked out her Hebrew name. It means "beautiful celebration." That's what she's always been for us, a celebration of love and life and so much joy. And on her bat mitzvah, she'll stand in front of our friends and family, and she'll read from the Torah. She'll be exactly who she is. And that's amazing to me.
My Son's Circumcision
When our second child, a boy, was born, my (Jewish) husband was adamant that he be circumcised. Everyone has their own baggage, and I'm far from exempt from that. I grew up without a dad; I was dead certain that I wanted my children to have an active, involved and dedicated father. I didn't want them to have just one parent, so it was vital to me to respect him as a parent. This was his son as much as he was mine, and it was that absolute for him. He would be circumcised.
It's one thing to blithely agree to something and then realize how incredibly hard it's going to be. Like daycare – of course, my kids would go to daycare and I'd work full time, right up until I actually HAD a child and the thought of leaving them for eight to nine hours a day was devastating. It was the same situation with the circumcision. Yeah, sure, we can do that, right up until I've got this tiny little boy – AND YOU WANT TO CUT OFF HIS LITTLE PENIS?!?! And if I was struggling with the concept, explaining it to my non-Jewish family was even harder. The whole idea of having a party where we'd cut off the tip of his penis and then have bagels was beyond their comprehension.
But cut it off we did. I reminded myself over and over again that this was my husband's child as much as mine. That I had to respect Marc's traditions and his right to make decisions for our child if I truly wanted him to be an equal parent with me.
First let me back up. My son was a challenging baby. To this day, six years later, I know of no other child who was as miserable as my little baby was for the first several months. Colic and reflux were a part of it, but part of it was just who he was, he doesn't like change – and the whole concept of starting his life here just made him furious. He cried all the livelong day, unless he was nursing. Or in the swing – he loved his swing. But mostly he cried and nursed. He only slept when I held him, and only stopped crying when he nursed. He was horrified if anyone other than me tried to hold him, screamed unmercifully if people looked at him for too long, and being the center of attention made him nuts.
So I was a wreck on the day he was going to be circumcised. To put it mildly. I was an experienced mom, he was my second baby, and I'd had literally decades of childcare behind me – but I was worn out, sleep deprived, and out of mind with confusion and frustration and this overwhelming love for this boy child. Voluntarily hurting him (and that's the only way I could see this) was so hard. So incredibly hard. My mother, sister, stepfather and cousin had all come early to our house. We lived in a second floor apartment, and it was literally the hottest day of the summer so far that year. We had no air conditioner, and the apartment was wall to wall people. I couldn't stop crying. The baby couldn't stop crying (because the mohel didn't want me to nurse for the two hours before the ceremony, and he was furious at the thought of a pacifier).
All of my husband's female relatives assured me that I shouldn't be there, the mothers never watch. But I couldn't NOT be there. This was my child. This was my baby, and if I was going to allow this to happen to him, I couldn't let him do it without me there to support him. So I sat in the room just off of the dining room, where everyone had gathered. My father-in-law held the baby, and my poor confused stepfather gave him little bits of a sweet wine and it was over super fast. They handed him back to me immediately, and he stopped crying the instant I touched him. He nursed gratefully and went immediately back to sleep.
The man who performed the circumcision passed away a few months ago. It wasn't that I knew him well, I had never met him before and only saw him a few times since then. But he was there, on one of the most challenging and painful and ultimately rewarding days of my life. You know how sometimes you bond to your baby the first time you meet them, and sometimes it takes a bit? I loved my baby from the beginning, but on the day that he was circumcised, I knew absolutely and without question that I was his mother and he was my son, and that when he hurt, I felt it more than I could have imagined. It was the beginnings of a relationship that, to this day, continues to shock and amaze me, to teach me and stretch me and astound me. Rest in Peace, Stuart Jaffee, and thank you for your part in my son's life.
That being said – when we found out that our next baby was a girl, the first thing I thought in the ultrasound room was thank God we don't have to have her circumcised.
Why I still celebrate Christmas
I'm Jewish, and pretty happy about it. I converted about four years ago, with our oldest two children. But, yeah, I still celebrate Christmas. I don't celebrate it as the birth of Christ, but it's still a tremendously meaningful and important holiday for me. I wouldn't say it's my favorite holiday of the year – there's too much other stress going on for that. December is decidedly a challenging month for my husband and I. Between the number of Jewish people who write articles that I can't stop myself from reading that assure me that a tree has no place in a Jewish home, and worrying about whether or not people are judging me for putting up the tree anyway. It's celebrating a holiday that while it has never been particularly Christian to me – it is a Christian holiday to many people. And either way, it is most definitely not Jewish. It's a hard month for my husband, who didn't grow up celebrating Christmas, but not celebrating it is almost a part of his Jewish identity – so it's never an easy time of year.
But celebrate it we do, enthusiastically. I've got stocking hung by the chimney with care, and a tree that's lopsided, with way too many lights on it, and ornaments that are well loved and not particularly coordinated. I've got pictures of all of my babies with Santa Claus, and tinsel and candy canes EVERYWHERE. So why do I celebrate? Why do I insist on participating in holiday that everyone keeps telling me is all about rampant consumerism and materialism? If I strip away the Christian connotations to it, what exactly is Christmas all about? And why exactly do I insist every year that we celebrate it?
I celebrate it because it's wrapped up in some of my favorite memories from my childhood. Caroling with my cousins, singing songs to my sister at night before we fell asleep. Every Christmas Eve, my little sister would beg to sleep in my bed with me, and I'd tell her stories about Santa and swear that I could see Rudolph's nose in the sky. Baking Christmas cookies with my baby cousins, and taking my nieces and nephews out at night to look for the prettiest Christmas lights. My mother has this one song – Mary's Boy Child, and it's this odd sort of Jamaican Christmas carol, and every time it comes on the radio, she'd turn it up as loud as it could go and rock out. My mother doesn't rock out as a rule, and watching her chair dance in the car while we drove anywhere in December was (and is) kind of awesome.
I celebrate it because I love the anticipation of Christmas Day. I love that my kids talk about Santa Claus (despite the fact that both the older ones know it's just a myth). When I was a kid, I loved that sense, all month long, that we were building up to this one day when magically, just because, we'd wake up and find that someone had brought us presents, just because. It's not about the gifts, exactly. Looking back, I don't remember any specific Christmas gift that I ever got that made a huge impression. What I remember is the magic, the excitement and the joy of it all. I want that for my kids.
I celebrate it because I'm still my mother's daughter. And I'm raising her grandchildren. Having a child convert to a different religion isn't easy, and my mother supported me and stood beside me every step of the way. I've never doubted her love or commitment, and I can't imagine how hurt and disappointed she'd be if I didn't give my kids the same opportunity to love Christmas as she gave me. I won't do that to her. I won't do that to her grandchildren. It's not that she wants them to not be Jewish, she loves listening to my two year old lisp out the Shabbat blessings, and makes sure that she's a part of our holiday traditions as well. She just wants to know that my family still a part of her family, celebrating her favorite holidays and traditions. Like sleeping over at Grammy's house on the night before Thanksgiving, and trekking up to Maine every year to camp at Hermit Island – celebrating Christmas, for my mother, is about spending time with her kids, and her grandchildren. Passing along those traditions. I'm not willing to tell them that it's not their holiday just because they're Jewish. Yes, my children are observant Jewish kids but they're also a part of my extended non-Jewish family as well. Christmas is part of what they inherit from my side of the family, along with a crappy sense of direction and a gift for sarcasm.
I celebrate it because I believe in peace on earth and goodwill towards men. And having a day to celebrate that is lovely to me. I celebrate it because I feel a little closer to everyone else on earth during this time of year – it seems to me that it's the one time when we all try a little harder to be nicer, a little harder to appreciate the blessings we have. We don't always succeed, and we aren't all on the same page, but I sincerely think that the world is an amazing and beautiful and blessed place. On Christmas, I think we all feel that way.
It's not about the shopping or the wrapping or the stress. And for me, it's not about celebrating the birth of the Messiah. It's about joy and peace – it's closer to a celebration that we're coming into the light. It's no accident that the Solstice is on the twenty-first – we are literally getting a little more light, just a bit, every day. I think it's also an important theme of Hanukkah, that each night, we light just one more candle. I think that's worth celebrating. I think having a day to stop and just celebrate the magic, celebrate the beauty of family and friends, to eat candy canes and drink eggnog, to watch your kids open presents and be absolutely delighted is awesome. Christmas isn't perfect, and it's nowhere near as simple and as easy as it used to be for me, but it's still an integral part of my year. And my life. I don't want to miss it. Being Jewish has added so much to my life, so much meaning and resonance, it's given my kids a framework to build a spiritual life upon. It's given me Shabbat dinner, and Passover Seders and a community that I love. But I still love Christmas.
Private Practice
I am going to admit to something that I would not normally cop to in such a public forum. I watch Private Practice. It is a guilty pleasure. In the show, Cooper (Jewish) is married to Charlotte (Christian). They are pregnant with triplets, and the topic of what religion to raise the kids comes up. It is discussed for 2 minutes (which we all know in tvland is a deep heartfelt discussion) and they decide to expose the kids to both and let them decide.
My television still works. I did throw everything I thing I could reach from my nest of blankets at it though. My husband is so glad I was too tired to knit, so I was not armed with pointy sticks. All I had near me were old magazines and papers, not a good weapon to be found. That will teach me to clean. I was disgusted. Really? We will let the children decided.
My poor family had to listen to me yell at Cooper and Charlotte and tell them that they are massive wimps. Make a decision (there may have been more colorful language here, but this is a family blog). Seriously, you are the adults and you can't decide so you abdicate the decision to your children? After I calmed down a bit, my kids asked me why I feel so strongly about this. (They were not watching with us, but came down when they heard the ruckus.)
First, one reason they gave for doing both was that the kids would be denied the other parents religion. Ok, I can see that is a very scary prospect. Seriously, I almost didn't get married because of that. I understand. But, in reality, you can still celebrate and expose your kids to both, without identifying them as both (or really nothing).
My kids very strongly identify as Jews. Yet, they happily go to see my family every year for Christmas. They know it isn't their holiday, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy it. Just like we invite Christian friends to have latkes and share in a Passover Seder.
But, the real reason it irritated me so much is that by raising the kids as both, you raise them as nothing. You put your child in the position that you found yourself in, having to choose one parent over the other. Imagine how that must feel? Life is hard enough without having to choose which religion you want to practice, while potentially alienating one of your parents. That is why the parents need to choose. Best if you do this before you get married, because really if you can't agree it will become a deal breaker.
My husband pointed out to me as we wrestled with this decision, that you cannot be a Jewish Christian. They are separate religions. In order to do one of them well, you cannot be the other. I am not advocating one way or the other, but I am saying CHOOSE. When the rabbi told me that he didn't care what decision we made just that we made one, the reality of this situation was brought home to me.
The statement that people make of "I will let the kids choose," tells me that they recognize that a choice needs to be made. But, for some probably highly logical reason, the adults in the family did not want to make it. We make thousands of decisions during our kid's lives that have immeasurable impact on their development. Some right, some wrong, many without so much as a second thought, I would like to encourage everyone to make this choice for their kids. Let them have an identity.
It was ugly at my house as all of this went down. When the child that the couple already had said, "I like being both, double the holidays, double the presents." I had to turn the television off.


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The primary theme of Deuteronomy is God's promises standing firm in times of both blessing and judgment - blessing when we obey the Lord and judgment when we disobey his law. Join Skip Heitzig for a study through this book that is quoted extensively by Jesus and the New Testament writers.
In this study of Leviticus, Skip Heitzig takes this Old Testament book of law and shows its significance to our understanding of God's precepts regarding sin, especially when it comes to sacrifice and atonement.
Imagine being only 26 years old, married for five years, and then in one day, losing both of your children in a fatal car accident! How would you go forward? Undeniable is the story of one couple who has not only survived, but thrived in the face of every parent's worst nightmare. Follow Bryan and Penny's unforgettable saga as they navigate crushing chasms of pain and brokenness followed by awe inspiring mountains of joy.
Do you find it difficult to hear God in this noisy, distracting world? Do you feel like you could do more, if you could truly relax? Do you think prayer would be more satisfying if you could focus on what you're trying to say to God and not be distracted by the material world? Meditation is the key to gaining focus in a world that seems to fight every attempt at focus. It will help you quiet your mind, find peace, and be fully present in prayer.
In this study of Exodus, Skip Heitzig explores the deliverance of God's people from the bondage of Egypt - a beautiful picture of our deliverance from the bondage of sin.
Annie Besant was a writer, lecturer, prominent theosophist, and women's rights activist of her time. She was a frequent contributor to various theosophical publications of her day. This piece by her, from 1912, is a short, basic introduction to mysticism through the eyes of theosophy. She writes about mysticism within Christianity and the Western Mystery Tradition in general. It's also interesting to note that she mentions the Illuminati in this piece, but in a philosophical rather than historical context, which is unusual for the time period.
This product includes key takeaways and analysis of Going Clear by Lawrence Wright, not the original audiobook. Going Clear is an in-depth examination of the founding, principles, and scandals of Scientology. It includes eyewitness interviews and original document research. The Church of Scientology was founded with the publication of the book Dianetics in 1950 by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. His unique approach to mental health attracted a following.
Rifqa Bary grew up in a devout Muslim home, obediently following her parents' orders to practice the rituals of Islam. But God was calling her to freedom and love. He was calling her to true faith. He was calling her to give up everything.
Online news articles, television news channels, and your local newspaper have probably mentioned ISIS at least once throughout the group's existence. ISIS is viewed as a terrorist organization by some countries, but to other countries it is seen as people's only hope for having their religion protected from foreign and domestic influences. Before you go siding with ISIS or become an antagonist, understand how ISIS was created and their purpose for existing.
In our modern, high-pressured world, many of us fail to take notice of the sheer beauty of the natural world surrounding us. Wicca is a new way of life, a religion that takes us back to a simpler time, before the invention of the high-tech gadgetry we see all around us. As a Wiccan you will learn to live in and appreciate the natural world that surrounds you. Wiccans celebrate and share many of the same beliefs that early people held, and they try to embrace their ways of life, all while remaining functional in today's modern world.
The concept of a future day when the whole of humanity will stand before God in order to be judged for their actions upon Earth is pervasive in Western literature, mostly owing to its roots in the Judeo-Christian worldview, but such a religious concept is not limited to the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. In fact, it seems to be much more deeply seated in the human psyche because it appears in many disparate religious traditions.
For centuries translations of the Bible have obscured our understanding and appreciation of the original text. Now And God Said provides listeners with an authoritative account of significant mistranslations and shows how new translation methods can give listeners their first glimpse into what the Bible really means.
If you want to find inner peace and wisdom, you don't need to move to an ashram or monastery. Your life, just as it is, is the perfect place to be. Jack Kornfield, one of America's most respected Buddhist teachers, shares this and other key lessons gleaned from more than 40 years of committed study and practice.
According to the Buddha, no one can attain basic sanity or enlightenment without practicing meditation. The teachings given here on the outlook and technique of meditation provide the foundation that every practitioner needs to awaken as the Buddha did. Trungpa teaches us to let go of the urge to make meditation serve our ambition; thus we can relax into openness.
"Great book"
The 59 provocative slogans presented here - each with a commentary by the Tibetan meditation master Chgyam Trungpa - have been used by Tibetan Buddhists for eight centuries to help meditation students remember and focus on important principles and practices of mind training. They emphasize meeting the ordinary situations of life with intelligence and compassion under all circumstances. Slogans include, "Don't be swayed by external circumstances," "Be grateful to everyone," and "Always maintain only a joyful mind."
The paradox of awareness is very profound and yet very simple. It can't be described because it has no objective qualities and no limitation. Sometimes it comes naturally to the surface when we are fully in the present moment and no longer lost in thought or mental projections. Pure consciousness is neither high nor low, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, neither good nor bad. No matter where we are, no matter what we are doing, we always have an immediate access to that inner stillness.
"True Trust "
ChgyamTrungpa's unique ability to express the essence of Buddhist teachings in the language and imagery of modern American culture makes his books among the most accessible works of Buddhist philosophy. Here Trungpa explores the true meaning of freedom, showing us how our preconceptions, attitudes, and even our spiritual practices can become chains that bind us to repetitive patterns of frustration and despair.
"Very good and important book"
Named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most important innovators of the century, Tariq Ramadan is a leading Muslim scholar, with a large following especially among young European and American Muslims. Now, in his first book written for a wide audience, he offers a marvelous biography of the Prophet Muhammad, one that highlights the spiritual and ethical teachings of one of the most influential figures in human history.
"Very relevant in today's world"
With the help of 14 leading physicists, scientists, and spiritual thinkers, this book guides listeners on a course from the scientific to the spiritual, and from the universal to the personal. Along the way, it asks such questions as: Are we seeing the world as it really is What is the relationship between our thoughts and our world? How can I create my day every day? What the Bleep answers this question and others through an innovative new approach to self-help and spirituality.
This is the first book to offer the great master's incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works. The pithy and powerful readings, arranged according to theme, provide a perfect introduction to Dogen - and inspire spiritual practice in people of all traditions.
"Hard book to understand"
For the first time, the great depth and diversity of Taoist spirituality is introduced in a single, accessible manual. Taoism, known widely today through the teachings of the classic Tao Te Ching and the practices of t'ai chi and feng-shui, is less known for its unique traditions of meditation, physical training, magical practice, and internal alchemy. Covering all of the most important texts, figures, and events, this essential guide illuminates Taoism's extraordinarily rich history and remarkable variety of practice.
Tibetan Buddhist master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, one of the most creative and innovative lamas teaching today, throws down the gauntlet to the Buddhist world, challenging common misconceptions, stereotypes, and fantasies. With wit and irony, Khysentse urges readers to move beyond the superficial trappings of Buddhism - beyond the romance with beads, incense, or exotic robes - straight to the heart of what the Buddha taught.
"Elixir of truth"
The Blackwell Companion to Catholicism offers an extensive survey of the history, doctrine, practices, and global circumstances of Roman Catholicism, written by a range of distinguished and experienced Catholic writers. Engages its readers in an informed and informative conversation about Roman Catholic life and thought.
Do you practise meditation because you want to feel good? Or to help you relax and be "happy"? Then frankly, according to Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, you are far better off having a full-body massage than trying to practise the Dharma. Genuine spiritual practice, not least the Ngndro preliminaries, will not bring the kind of comfort and ease most worldly people crave. Quite the opposite, in fact.
It's safe to say that nearly everyone is seeking a happier, more successful life. So then why do so few attain it? Business Secrets from the Bible proposes a new way to view and approach success-one based upon key concepts from the Bible that are actually surprisingly simple. Written especially for those seeking success in the realms of money, relationships, and spirituality, this book encourages listeners to realize their common mistakes, come to terms with them, and turn those mistakes into future triumphs.
Richard Dawkins and Deepak Chopra are two of the most famous Big Thinkers of our time. And yet their deeply acrimonious, decade-long battle over God, human consciousness and "quantum healing" has gone unchronicled until now. Dawkins, a best-selling author and evolutionary biologist who coined the term "meme", has staked his name on the cause of militant atheism.
Freedom from suffering is not only possible, but the means for achieving it are immediately within our grasp - literally as close to us as our own breath. This is the 2,500-year-old good news contained in the Anapanasati Sutra, the Buddha's teaching on cultivating both tranquility and deep insight through full awareness of breathing. In this book, Larry Rosenberg brings this timeless meditation method to life.
Take the mystery out of the Freemasons. Fascinated by Freemasons? Freemasons For Dummies is the internationally best-selling introduction to the Masons, the oldest and largest "secret society" in the world. This balanced, eye-opening guide demystifies Freemasonry, explaining everything from its elaborate rituals and cryptic rites, to its curious symbols and their meanings.
This anonymous fourteenth-century text is the glory of English mysticism, and one of the most practical and useful guides to finding union with God ever written. Carmen Acevedo Butcher's new translation is the first to bring the text into a modern English idiom - while remaining strictly faithful to the meaning of the original Middle English. The Cloud of Unknowingconsists of a series of letters written by a monk to his student or disciple, instructing him (or her) in the way of Divine union.
To some, Soren Kierkegaard is primarily a philosopher, to others a Christian thinker or theologian. He was also a perceptive psychologist and incisive cultural critic. But above all, Kierkegaard was a writer. Clare Carlisle's book tackles eight key questions surrounding Kierkegaard's multi-faceted thinking, exploring above all his view of the world and how we live in it.