I have spent many hours unpacking during the course of our move from one building to another. Last week, as I was looking for a place to put my various Jewish magazine subscriptions I came across one of my favorite publications- Sh’ma Magazine.
Sh’ma magazine is monthly “journal of Jewish responsibility” filled with interesting topics relevant to Jewish living in the twenty first century. Past issues have included topics such as Jewish learning, ritual, prayer, life cycle, Jewish identity, Israel, Jewish history, and Jewish perspectives on political issues of the day such as Health Care and Gun Control.
This month, Sh’ma focuses on:
…health, illness, suffering, healing, and hope. We explore the power of prayer – in particular, the Misheberach, the prayer for healing. We also look at ritual and its capacity to effect healing, at strategies for maintaining a realistic sense of hope in facing illness or any number of challenging situations, and at the relationship between hope and suffering. We trust that this issue will inspire reflection of a deep sort and offer an opportunity to consider how we assess the measure of a life.
I always find the articles in this journal to be thought provoking, insightful, and relevant to living a Jewish life in the 21 century. Available in digital format or print, I encourage each of you to check out the Sh’ma website order a monthly subscription to this very important Jewish journal. It is a wonderful way to stay connected to issues facing the Jewish community and you will take something away from every issue. Happy reading! ( http://www.shma.com/)