Fourth-grader Emily is forced to think about her Jewish heritage when the new boy, an Orthodox Jew, refuses to participate in the school Christmas celebrations.

A how-to for Jewish spirituality that works. "A spiritual seeker is a person whose soul is awake. In this book I make no assumptions about how much you know about Judaism, what holidays you keep, or whether you believe in God. I want us to start from your soul's experience and carry on from there." --from the Introduction "Virtually anyone remotely affiliated with Judaism should read this book," wrote Publishers Weekly, which listed Jewish with Feeling among its Best Religion Books of the Year. "Without question the best, most readable introduction to Reb Zalman's philosophy of Judaism, it is also the best beginner's guide to Jewish spirituality available today," wrote the Forward, "the perfect book for both the spiritual seeker and the curious skeptic." Taking off from basic questions like "Why be Jewish?" and whether the word God still speaks to us today, Reb Zalman lays out a vision for a whole-person Judaism. This is not only Sinai then but Sinai now, a revelation of the Torah inside and all around us. Complete with many practical suggestions to enrich your own Jewish life, Jewish with Feeling is "a mystical masterpiece filled with spiritual practices and an exciting vision of the future" (Spirituality & Health). Spiritual experience, as Reb Zalman shows, repays every effort we make to acquire it.

People are odd; we do weird things. Even the most predictable of us sometimes defy expectations. Other times life plays tricks on us. We find ourselves characters in a farce. As an award-winning actor and comic writer, Rebecca Front has always been fascinated by life's little quirks. This book presents a collection of true stories about surprising turns of events, bizarre misunderstandings and improbable life lessons. We learn, among other things, how to prepare for a role as a villainous 'she-mountain' when you're five-foot-four, why beach holidays require military-precision planning, and the joys of wearing a cape.

This new gathering of Marge Piercy's poems--energetic, funny, political, full of vitality--brings us the heart of her mature work, the first selected since Circles on the Water in 1982. Here are poems that chart the milestone events and fierce passions of her middle years: the death of her mother, whom we meet first as a young woman, "awkwardly lovely, her face / pure as a single trill perfectly / prolonged on a violin," and again as an older woman musing on what the afterlife may hold for her. There is a new marriage which she celebrates not only for romantic beginnings but also for the more intimate details that emerge over time: "love cherishes too the backpockets, / the pencil ends of childhood fears." Some poems convey her long-held, never-wavering political convictions, which she declares in language unmistakably and colorfully her own, as when she encourages her feminist readers to go to the opera instead of the movies because at least there the heroine is real, "fifty and weighs as much as a '65 Chevy with fins." Living out to sea on Cape Cod settles her into the rhythm of seasons and provides poems of planting and harvests, odes to tomatoes and roses, tributes to the power and freedom of whales. And in these years she rediscovers her Jewish heritage, celebrating holidays and making of them something new and original

Jim Brickman's holiday release Peace celebrates both the soul of the holidays and the comfort of Christmas as a time for family and friends. Our album-matching folio features full-color photos of Jim, all the great original and traditional songs on his new album plus two bonus songs, "Silent Night" and "O Come All Ye Faithful." Titles are: We Three Kings * Holy Night * Let It Snow * Early Snowfall * Hark the Herald Angels Sing * Jingle Bells * Blessings * Rejoice * Silent Night * Do You Hear What I Hear * Away in a Manger * Sending You a Little Christmas * Peace (Where the Heart Is).

Explains how to protect one's home, family, and property and how to steer clear of computer and high-tech crime; investment and white-collar crime; and terrorism, bombs and bomb threats, in a book that also details safety measures for weddings, funerals, holidays, and emergency situations.

A collection of poems on the holidays of the year, from New Year's Day through Martin Luther King Day, Passover, Labor Day, Halloween, and others, to Christmas Eve.

Provides needed historical background and also interprets the ideas, practices, and liturgy that lend them contemporary relevance to today's Jews.

"[In] this lovely valentine from Hoban to all beginning readers, a minor squabble with his best friend, Norman, has left Arthur all alone this wintry Valentine's Day [until] Norman's little brother saves the day, and the two best friends are reunited. This title will warm up any snowy, blustery day."—SLJ.

From the author of World Made by Hand, The Witch of Hebron and Long Emergency comes this wonderful story of youth, misunderstanding, adventure and love. A perfect parable for the holiday season.

32 pp. Pub: 9/95.Award-winning poet Eve Merriam conjures up 26 titillating and teasing Halloween poems, one for each letter of the alphabet, accompanied by the delightfully wicked illustrations of Lane Smith. Elegant in design, precise in image . . . with appeal for any age that enjoys the macabre side of Halloween.--pointer, Kirkus. Full color.

Mr. Crockett is neither handsome nor fashionable, but he knows a secret--all things need love and care. With years of attention and patience, he transforms his shabby brownstone into an elegant home and brings a scrawny, neglected tree to life, teaching his critical neighbors that beauty can be found in unexpected places. Yan Nascimbene’s striking illustrations breathe new life into this holiday classic, originally published in 1972, that gently captures the true meaning of Christmas.

A cowherd's simple but sincere Yom Kippur prayer is instrumental in ending the day's fast.

For fans of All-of-a-Kind Family , here is the true story of how Sarah Brenner, a poor girl from New York City’s Lower East Side, became Sydney Taylor: dancer, actress, and successful children’s book author. Sarah Brenner might have come from an all-of-a-kind family (five sisters who all dressed alike), but she was always one of a kind. Growing up in a Jewish immigrant family on New York’s impoverished Lower East Side, Sarah loved visiting the library, celebrating holidays with her family, and taking free dance classes at the Henry Street Settlement. But she was always aware of things that weren’t fair—whether it was that women couldn’t vote, or how girls were treated in her school, or that her parents had had to leave Europe because they were Jewish. When she grew up, Sarah changed her name to Sydney and became an actress and a dancer, but she never forgot the importance of fighting unfairness, whether it was anti-Semitism at her job or the low wages of workers. And when her daughter complained that it wasn’t fair that there were no books about Jewish children like her, Sydney put pen to paper and wrote a one-of-a-kind children’s book. From well-known Jewish children’s author Richard Michelson, this is the story of how Sarah became Sydney and how she showed children the joy of seeing their culture reflected on the page.

Go veggie with Linda McCartney! In her best, most bountiful cookbook ever, the world's most celebrated vegetarian shows just how tasty meatless meals can be. From Goat Cheese and Dill Souffle and Winter Lasagna to Arugula Salad with Spinach and Parmesan and Tomato Salsa with Chili, here are more than two hundred tempting, easy-to-prepare recipes for delicious vegetarian fare -- family meals, festive menus for holidays and entertaining, low-fat dishes, fun food for kids, and more. Illustrated with beautiful color photographs and featuring Linda's personal reflections on her experiences as a vegetarian as well as solid information on nutrition, this reasonably priced paperback is sure to reach a whole new audience of vegetarians and health-conscious cooks.

Explore themes of nature and the land within the Passover seder. From the unassuming matzah that reveals the simplicity of earth, wheat, and water, to the first fruits of the soil that the Israelites offered in gratitude, the earth has always been at the center of who we are as a people. Passover marks the Jewish people's liberation from slavery in Egypt and the coming of spring. Yet it is also a story about land and the natural world. All our biblical holidays - Passover included - originally commemorated the agrarian and pastoral soil of of which Judaism grew. This haggadah keeps the earth at the forefront of our minds. In addition to all the traditional blessings and rituals, it includes sidebars and other features that uncover the connections between the seder and the land. For instance, karpas symbolizes the vibrant, verdant energy of spring, and reminds us that, like plants, we are born of the earth. Dayeinu is seen as a commentary on appreciating what we have and avoiding waste and overconsumption. Stunning artwork enhances the moods and themes of the seder in warm tones that are at once vibrant and earthy. " A marvelous new contribution in an ecological vein . . .a haggadah in the spirit of Abraham Joshua Heschel " --Rabbi Jonathon Seidel, PhD, spiritual leader of Or haGan, Eugene Oregon

"This volume presents Bruce Davidson's personal selections from his lesser-known color archive. Ranging from a period of fifty-six years and counting, these images are representative of the photographer's color career. Assignments from various magazines (Vogue, National Geographic, Life magazine) and commercial projects led him to photograph fashion (early 1960s), the Shah of Iran with his family (1964), keepers of French monuments (1988), the supermodel Kylie Bax (1997), and college cheerleaders (1989). He photographed in India and China, but also at home in New York, in Chicago, and along the Pacific Coast Highway. In 1968, Michelangelo Antonioni invited him to document the making of his film Zabriskie Point. Davidson also continued to pursue personal projects, e.g. photographing the Yiddish writer and Nobel Prize laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer (1972-75), the New York City subway (1980), and Katz's Delicatessen (2004). Often staying on in a country after an official assignment, he documented Welsh coalfields, family holidays in Martha's Vineyard, and travelled through Patagonia and Mexico."--

Rabbi Berel Wein once again exhibits his admirable talent for clear, lucid explanation in this highly informative work. Though each chapter is brief, the sweep of the book is broad - exploring life-cycle events from birth through death, the Jewish view of family life and values, character refinement, Sabbath, holidays and specific religious practices. An enriching reading experience, Living Jewish enables every reader to find deeper meaning in Jewish traditions and reconnect with the ancient values that have found new expression in the modern era. Rabbi Wein is well known as a historian, raconteur, lecturer and author of numerous works on Jewish history and Jewish thought. His enlightening and entertaining style will captivate your interest, and his inspiring insights will add meaning to your life.

You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy the 800 healthy home-style recipes in MealLeaniYumm! (pronounced meal.leani.yumm, almost like millennium). This quick and easy cookbook focuses on low-fat, nutritious cuisine, using everyday ingredients. It's an excellent resource for people withhealth and weight concerns, part-time vegetarians, diabetics, weight-watchers-or those who couldn't care less, but just love to eat good food! This information-packed book is perfect for today's time-challenged cook. You'll find step-by-step directions for nutritious, satisfying dishes that are sure to please. Packed with tips for today's kosher (or not!) kitchen, MealLeaniYumm! is the smart "weigh" to cook delicious dishes for every day, holidays and special occasions. Each recipe has a nutritional analysis, plus there are hundreds of healthful hints about fat, fibre, cholesterol, calories, calcium and mmm-more! Ship-shape shopping lists will guide you on stocking your pantry, fridge and freezer. There is a substitution chart for low-fat baking. Alternative ingredients and variations are suggested in many recipes, plus do-ahead directions, freezing tips and up-to-date nutritional information, plus 20 pages of full-color photographs. Tasting is believing! You'll love Cajun Chicken Breasts (163 Calories, 4.9 g fat), Fudgy-Wudgy Brownies (72 calories, 1.4 g fat).

"Another winning collection from one of our most read and enjoyed poets: a bountiful group of poems that reflect on language, nature, old age, young love, Judaism, and our current politics--all in her usual direct and mind-tingling fashion. "Words are my business," Marge Piercy begins her twentieth collection of poetry, a glance back at a lifetime of learning, loving, grieving, and fighting for the disenfranchised; and a look forward at what the future holds for herself, her family and friends, and her embattled country. In the opening pages, Piercy tells of her childhood in Detroit, with its vacant lots and scrappy children, the bike that gave her wings, her ambition at fourteen to "gobble" down all knowledge, a too early marriage ("I put on my first marriage / like a girdle my skinny body / didn't need.") We then leap into the Twilight Zone "after the knee has been replaced," where she is "learning to be quiet," learning to give praise despite it all. There are funny poems about medicine ads with their dire warnings, and some possible plusses about being dead: "I will never have to do another load of laundry . . ." There is "comfort in old bodies coming together," in a partner's warmth--"You're always warm: warm hands / smooth back sleek as a Burmese cat./ Sunny weather outside and in." Piercy has long been known for her political poems and her love of cats, and here there are plenty of both. Illegal immigrants, dying languages, fraught landscapes, abortion, President-speak. She examines her nonbeliever's need for religious holidays and spiritual depth, and the natural world is appreciated throughout. On the Way Out, Turn Off the Light is yet more proof of Piercy's love and mastery of language--it is moving, stimulating, funny, and full of the stuff of life"--