Congregational Meditation
Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz has created a helpful guide for Jewish communities who are looking to develop their meditation practice. Shalom: A Congregational Guide to Jewish Meditation was launched in January 2014 and published as a resource for all true seekers.
Click here to see the book on Amazon.
The book consists of an introduction to Jewish meditational ideas, and a workbook-style format for meditating and mindfully reflecting upon each letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
We read that “Shalom: A Congregational Guide to Jewish Meditation includes Jewish Meditation as a Heritage, Meditation: What Makes it Jewish? , and Educating the Congregation about Jewish Meditation. This includes: Chanting, Visualization, and Textual Meditations, Blessings & Spontaneous Response. Book includes Jewish Meditation Questionnaire with Responses, Bibliography and Additional Resources for further Study and Inspiration.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz currently serves as Rabbi and Principal at the Jewish Centre of Bay Shore, an egalitarian Conservative congregation. She was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion as a rabbi and holds a Master of Library Science degree with both certifications in Public Libraries and as a School Library Media Specialist.
Rabbi Schotz’s learning has been extraordinarily broad, bringing her to the learning centers of every Jewish denomination. She has studied at Neve Yerushalayim (an Orthodox women’s yeshivah) in Israel, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and the Jewish Theological Seminary. She was also certified as a Rabbinic Aide from the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now known as URJ. Currently Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz is also a Spiritual Director (Mashpi’ah in Hebrew). She was ordained as Mashpi’ah through the Aleph Ordination Programs.
In conjunction with this program Rabbi Leslie Schotz completed a Doctorate in Ministry, in partnership with the New York Theological Seminary, earning the title Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz, D. Min. Her dissertation paper which is now a book is entitled Spiritual Direction for Jewish Children. She is looking to teach across the spectrum including undergraduate, graduate and on a doctorate level.