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1 of 1 copy available
From one of our country’s most prominent rabbis, an inspiring book about the power of community based on one of her most impactful sermons.
In a time of loneliness and isolation, social rupture and alienation, what will it take to mend our broken hearts and rebuild our society?
Sharon Brous—a leading American rabbi—makes the case that the spiritual work of our time, as instinctual as it is counter-cultural, is to find our way to one other in celebration, in sorrow, and in solidarity. To show up for each other in moments of joy and pain, vulnerability and possibility, to invest in relationships of shared purpose and build communities of care.
Brous contends that it is through honoring our most basic human instinct— the yearning for real connection— that we reawaken our shared humanity and begin to heal. This kind of sacred presence is captured by the word amen, a powerful ancient idea that we affirm the fullness of one another’s experience by demonstrating, in body and word: “I see you. You are not alone.”
An acclaimed preacher and story-teller, Brous pairs heart-driven anecdotes from her experience building and pastoring to a leading-edge faith community over the past two decades with ancient Jewish wisdom and contemporary science. The result is a clarion call: the sense of belonging engendered by our genuine presence is not only a social and biological need, but a moral and spiritual necessity.
With original insights and practical tools, The Amen Effect translates foundational ideas into simple practices that connect us to our better angels, offering a blueprint for a more meaningful life and a more connected and caring world.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
January 9, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593543320
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780593543320
- File size: 3288 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from December 18, 2023
Rabbi Brous, founder of the justice-driven Jewish spiritual community IKAR, explores in her compassionate debut how to better connect with others in a social climate of widespread division. For Brous, of foremost importance is simply “showing up” for others in hard times, a principle that’s illustrated by a Mishnaic ritual in which pilgrims circled the temple courtyard in one direction and comforted the “grieving, the lonely, the sick,” who were moving in the opposite direction (the practice “awaken us to one another’s humanity,” Brous explains, because “today, you walk from left to right. Tomorrow, it will be me”). Also discussed is the value of showing up for one another in happy moments (sharing good news can be more psychologically beneficial than experiencing the joyous event in the first place, recent research suggests); seeking emotional support when needed; and getting genuinely curious about others, because “when we don’t wonder what thinking or feeling... our hearts close.” The author’s religious- based principles are anchored by practical tips for conducting “openhearted” conversations with those across the political aisle and helping the bereaved by making meals and providing childcare. Seamlessly mixing rabbinic wisdom, personal anecdotes, and psychology (she discusses compassion fatigue and how mirror neurons facilitate sharing others’ joy), Brous offers readers hope for building bridges. This inspires.
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