This week I finished the book, Einstein and the Rabbi, by Naomi Levy. This book, by one of America’s most prolific rabbis, was inspired by a letter Einstein had written to a grieving rabbi in 1950. Levy draws upon her own experiences and conversations with her congregation to discuss the mysteries of the soul. She also weaves the lessons of ancient Jewish texts to illustrate how we can uncover and strengthen our relationship with our souls in order to live a life of purpose, fulfillment, joy and meaning. Blessings are abound through the pages and there were many times when what I was reading synced up with exactly what was going on in my life or in the world. This is one of those books that I plan to keep and revisit again and again, so I’ve highlighted and dog-eared many many passages. There was one particular part on page 318 I wanted to share here as follows:
“…I fantasize that someday all people across the globe will come together, not by denying our unique faiths, rituals, or traditions, but by raising our hands and voices in unity. The optical delusion of separation is tearing our world apart. We must learn to free ourselves from the cognitive walls that make us think we are strangers to one another. The walls that make us indifferent to the plight of people we don’t know. I pray each day that we can learn to care, to act, and to expand our circles of compassion. I pray that you will join me. Together we can shatter the delusion of our separateness and create a world [united]. “
Book Review: Einstein and the Rabbi by Naomi Levy
