Amazon.com Review
Does the Soul Survive?: A Jewish Journey to Belief in Afterlife, Past Lives & Living with Purpose
by Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz combines journalistic reporting, scholarly
biblical reading, and the probing self-examination of memoir in service
of recounting his journey from skepticism to belief regarding life
after death. Spitz, who teaches the philosophy of law at the University
of Judaism, carefully describes traditional Jewish views of the
afterlife and fearlessly explores the many challenges to those views
arising in parapsychology--including near-death experiences,
reincarnation, and spirit mediums. In the end, Spitz makes a cogent
argument that belief in the afterlife is not, as has often been argued,
incompatible with Jewish tradition. Wisely, he grounds his concluding
arguments in the present-oriented ethic that guides Jewish devotion:
"Our challenge is to use the time we have now to live gratefully and
responsibly, knowing that how we choose to live shapes our soul," he
argues. "The ability to accept death as part of life provides comfort
and the awareness that each day is precious. Our challenge is to make
the best of every day in this life." --Michael Joseph Gross
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Spitz, a Conservative rabbi, sets out to convince readers that it's kosher to be Jewish and believe in reincarnation and the afterlife. He details his personal journey from skepticism to belief in the reality of the soul, distilling along the way the work of pioneering mediums like Brian Weiss and James van Draagh. Spitz discusses one seminar he attended in which he found himself revealing images of a previous life as a Native American, and another in which his wife's deceased grandparents "communicated" with her. Spitz employs an array of Jewish sourcesAparticularly mystical textsAthat affirm a faith in the survival of the soul, although the concept remains controversial in traditional Judaism. He claims that this faith can provide comfort to those struggling with death. "Letting go is easier when one believes death is not final," he says. He offers the personal example of coping with his mother's death, followed by dramatic instances of how he has used guided imagery to ease congregants into accepting death. While we are alive, our "homework assignment" is to nurture our souls through good deeds and to express gratitude to God, "rooting us more deeply in living this life each day as a precious gift." Spitz's compelling arguments may cement the beliefs of Jewish readers already receptive to the existence of the supernatural and open a doorway for doubters to reconceptualize life and death. (Oct.)
http://www.amazon.com/Does-Soul-Survive-Journey-Afterlife/dp/1580231659
A great interview with Rabbi Spitz is available at gaiamtv.com.
Related:
In
Jewish culture, more emphasis is placed on living through our good
deeds and passing our loving thoughts to those who come after us than on
an afterlife per se. Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, author of Does the Soul
Survive, is breaking new ground by exploring the Jewish journey to
belief in afterlife, past lives and living with purpose. Rabbi Spitz
looks seriously at learning more about this part of us that survives,
our soul, based on more than faith, but on experiences that open the
doorway to a whole new world of inquiry. - See more at:
http://www.gaiamtv.com/video/does-soul-survive-rabbi-elie-kaplan-spitz#sthash.lf5ZNPwi.dpuf
Does The Soul Survive? (Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz) (2000)
Episode 121
Available worldwide
23:28
In Jewish culture, more
emphasis is placed on living through our good deeds and passing our
loving thoughts to those who come after us than on an afterlife per se.
Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, author of Does the Soul Survive, is breaking
new ground by exploring the Jewish journey to belief in afterlife, past
lives and living with purpose. Rabbi Spitz looks seriously at learning
more about this part of us that survives, our soul, based on more than
faith, but on experiences that open the doorway to a whole new world of
inquiry.
Corinne Edwards
Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz
English
