We are all on this journey called life together. Despite the many differences we may perceive, this fact binds us together. Where does this life we have been given come from? Certainly, the biological mix that our parents contributed plays a big part but we sense there is more.
Some of us may call it G-d, but we all sense something inside of us that whispers and hints of forces beyond what we can see in the natural world. Judaism teaches that each of us has a piece of the eternal divine soul embedded in our being. During the time that we live out our lives, the divine soul strives to connect with the Whole. And when we die, the G-d piece in each of us returns to the Source. Created in the image of G-d, we are fundamentally good, and the process of cultivating awareness of and acting upon our best, G-d given nature can function to heal and restore the world. G-d pronounced it Good as creation was spoken into being, and so it is!
In this blog, I am going to explore and talk about how I understand life from a perspective that blends my understandings and experiences as a former Christian and now as a Jew. I am fascinated by the different ways in which these faiths relate to each other and the ways in which they cast light on the Divine. My goal is to post a monthly entry. Thanks for coming along!
This Life ... the Best of Them? 
Great intro! I’m excited to read more about your journey. I, too, love to discuss faith and enjoy learning from other people’s perspectives. I must get that from you. 😉 I love you very much. I’m proud to be your daughter, Dood. ❤️
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Well, you are the original blogger! 🙂 Our faith journeys are closely linked. You have inspired me in ways that I have yet to put into words. ❤
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Looking forward to reading more. Good start Mark!!
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Thanks Amigo. Hoping to encourage others to share their stories too. 🙂
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Happy to be on this journey with you, Mark! And happy to read your blog. I’m intrigued by your comment that “Judaism teaches that each of us has a piece of the eternal divine soul embedded in our being.” Are there particular sources that you could reference that teach this? (I already know where the “created in the image of G-d” part comes from ;-D) I’d love to learn more about which Jewish traditions and sources are informing your practice of Judaism. The reason I ask is because this concept has strong ancient correlaries in Stoic philosophy, and it would be interesting to see how much
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Hi Andrew … the reference to the Divine soul comes straight out of the material that was offered in a class on Kabbalah that I took at TBI during the last year. According to the mystical tradition, we also have an Animating Soul (i.e., the Ego). I will consider addressing this in more depth.
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how much . . . and what sort of connections points there were.
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Mark, question for you. You say that you are a former Christian, does that mean that you are rejecting Jesus Christ as the son of God and your savior?
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Hi Laz … your question is hard to answer with a straight up “yes” or “no.” In fact, future posts will be devoted to aspects of this subject. For now, I’m holding Christian theology at arm’s length as I explore what Judaism has to offer. That said, I haven’t rejected Jesus in the sense that some Christians would consider to be the “unforgivable sin.” BTW, I deeply appreciate your blog and look forward to hearing more in the months to come! Maybe we can inspire a few more to start writing and sharing. 🙂
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