The Reading Warehouse

The question isn't whether grace is there for you in Judaism. The question is, do you have the courage to accept it?

"Chesed isn't a reward; it is reality. God's grace isn't limited to what we want to happen or might like to happen. God's grace is what is happening whether we like it or not. In short, God's grace is the giving of all to all."
--from the Introduction

Ask almost any Jew whether grace is a central concept in Judaism and an essential element in living Jewishly and, chances are, their answer will be "no." But that's the wrong answer. This fascinating foray into God's love freely given offers you--regardless of your level of Jewish involvement--a way to answer that question in the affirmative.

Drawing from ancient and contemporary, traditional and non-traditional Jewish wisdom, this book reclaims the idea of grace in Judaism in three ways:

• It offers a view of God that helps you understand what grace is, why grace is, and how grace manifests in the world.
• It sets forth a reading of Judaism that is grace-filled: an understanding of creation, Shabbat and other Jewish practices from a grace-filled perspective.
• It challenges you to be embraced and transformed by grace, and to live life as a vehicle for God's grace, thereby fulfilling the promise of being created in God's image and likeness.

Rami Shapiro, a renowned teacher of spirituality across faith traditions, is an award-winning storyteller, poet and essayist. He is author of The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice, Recovery--The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice and The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (all SkyLight Paths), among other books.

Rami Shapiro is available to speak on the following topics:

• Writing--The Sacred Art: Beyond the Page to Spiritual Practice
• Stop Playing God: 12 Steps as Spiritual Practice
• Biblical Wisdom for Post-biblical Times: An Exploration of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job
• The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Cultivating Compassion in Daily Life
• Hasidic Wisdom: An Exploration of Hasidic Storytelling, Theology and Contemplative Practice
• Saints and Sages: Biblical Prophets, Ancient Rabbis and the Building of a Just World