This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared - The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation

Author(s): Alan Lew

Non-Fiction

There are times in life when we are caught utterly unprepared: a death in the family, the end of a relationship, a health crisis. These are the times when the solid ground we thought we stood on disappears beneath our feet, leaving us reeling and heartbroken, as we stumble back to our faith. The Days of Awe begin with Rosh Hashanah and lead up to Yom Kippur, a period in which Jews take part in a series of rituals and prayers that reenact the soul's journey through the world from birth to death. This is a time of contemplation and repentance, comparable to Lent and Ramadan. Yet, for Rabbi Alan Lew, the real purpose of this annual passage is for us to experience brokenheartedness and open ourselves up to God. In this remarkable book, Lew marks out seven distinct stages that draw on these rituals to awaken our souls and wholly transform us. Weaving together Torah readings, Buddhist parables, Jewish fables, and stories from his own life, Lew lays bare the meanings of this ancient Jewish tradition and reveals the path from terror to acceptance, confusion to clarity, doubt to belief, and complacency to awe. This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared invites people of all faiths to reconnect to their belief with a passion and intimacy that will resonate throughout the year. Book jacket.


Product Information

General Fields

  • : 9780316830201
  • : Back Bay Books, Incorporated
  • : July 2018
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Alan Lew
  • : Paperback