This anthology, a first in the Jewish world, explores Jewish tradition for comfort and spiritual perspectives for the inevitable sufferings with which we live. Scholars, teachers, artists and activists examine the aspects of our finitude, the important distinctions between curing and healing, and the discipline and maturity of spirit we must cultivate in order to live fully. They acknowledge the remarkable technological advances that have made it possible to overcome difficult diseases but also seek ways to compensate for what technology can take away from the more intimate parts of our lives. With careful consideration and embedded with passion, these celebrated thinkers push the boundaries of Jewish knowledge, investing the search for healing with new ideas and new ways to look at old texts. Through unique, sometimes controversial, perspectives, they show us that healing is an idea that can both soften us so that we are open to inspiration as well as toughen us?like good scar tissue

Acknowledgments vIntroduction: The Intersection of Judaism and Health Healing and CuringWilliam Cutter A Physician's Reflection on the Jewish Healing MovementHoward Silverman