The Sacred Now: Cultivating Jewish Spiritual Consciousness

The Sacred Now presents a contemporary Jewish spiritual philosophy that is founded in both the Jewish tradition and a commitment to contemporary culture. It synthesizes the sensibilities of Kabbalah, philosophy, and secular spirituality. While the great timeless questions that humanity has asked itself remain unchanged, humanity’s responses to these questions evolve over time. As society changes and our knowledge of the universe changes, our spiritual and religious life naturally must also evolve if we intend to remain engaged in the world around us. The Sacred Now examines the state of Jewish spirituality today, proposing orientations and practices geared toward cultivating consciousness of the Divine. It discusses the relationship of spirituality and religion, examines the functions of both structure and freedom in developing a lifestyle with a strong spiritual focus, while remaining cognizant that it is the practice more than the theory that ultimately matters.

Mark Elber is the Rabbi of Temple Beth El, in Fall River, Massachusetts. He has a BA in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania and did his graduate studies in Jewish mysticism at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the University of Pennsylvania. He received his Rabbinic Ordination through the Alliance for Jewish Renewal and received his MFA in Poetry from Warren Wilson College. He is the author of The Everything Kabbalah Book (2006).