Mourning & Mitzvah: A Guided Journal for Walking the Mourner's Path Through Grief to Healing (Paperback)

by Anne Brener (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Scientific American
Directed primarily to Jews, others may find its hope and growth emphasis helpful. Highly recommended.

Review
A stunning book! It offers an exploration in depth of the place where psychology and religious ritual intersect, and the name of that place is Truth." -- Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

It is the best book on this subject that I have ever seen. (Rabbi Levi Meier, Ph.D., (Orthodox) Chaplain, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; author, Moses--The Prince, the Prophet) -- Rabbi Levi Meier

While deeply rooted in Jewish philosophy and traditions, this volume is applicable to all who suffer loss....This book is enthusiastically recommended....Directed primarily to Jews, others may find its hope and growth emphasis helpful. Highly recommended. -- Publishers Weekly, September 13, 1993

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing; 1st edition (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879045230
• ISBN-13: 978-1879045231
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,677 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #18 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Jewish Life
  #87 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Death & Grief > Grief & Bereavement

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful help in the time of mourning..., December 25, 1999

By	Victoria Phibes "Chaucerian, Nurse" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

"Mourning and Mitzvah" by Anne Brener has been so much of a help to me! I couldn't find any literature to guide me through the mourning process, as American society barely acknowledges death any more. Nor do we have any organized mourning customs to help those who grieve through their pain--as past generations in this country have had.

This book, though written primarily for those of Jewish faith, helped me more than anything written from my own Catholic religious tradition. Other books I had read suggested keeping a journal or meditating on different aspects of life with the one lost. Trouble is, that "keeping a journal" or "meditating" without guidance when one isn't used to doing these things, can be more confusing and painful to someone who is grieving than doing absolutely nothing at all. And it was in this situation I found myself.

This book gently guides the mourner through a series of easy to follow steps to keeping a journal, meditating, performing little ceremonies like lighting candles for the loved one--things that I found immensely comforting. At the same time, however, I was able to go deep within myself and confront the pain of my loss...and work through it, to a point where I was more able to cope with life, and motivate myself to continue living.

Anne Brener's book has been a wonderful help in this time of mourning. I am most happy to recommend this book to anyone who is confused and frightened like I was. "Mourning and Mitzvah" is a beautiful guide on the road back from darkness to light.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an amazing book!, July 21, 1998

By	[e-mail] (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

After the death of my mother last month, I was engulfed with intense feelings of sorrow, guilt and regret -- levels of emotion that I had not felt with the death of other close relatives. To help come to terms with this inner turmoil and a weak network of support, I read many books: Jewish and Buddhist Spirituality, Death and Dying and pschologically-oriented (10 at last count)and found moments of solace with most. At the same time, I started my own grief journal as an outlet for my daily angst. However, my thinking and emotions were in chaos (normal at this stage of mourning). Then I discovered Mourning and Mitvah where I found a means to blend spirituality and psychology in an active, organic way. Anne Brener's beautifully written book created a forum to explore Jewish thought and ritual(I was raised a secular Jew) where I could interact through the use of many thought-provoking guided exercises. The process orientation of the work constructed a comforting, safe p! ath to follow on my own terms. Even though written from a Jewish perspective, I recommend this book for those from other religuous or no religious traditions. There is a global spirituality and psychology infused in the thoughts and concepts of Mourning and Mitvah. I have even discovered a nascent desire to re-investigate Judaism. I know I am at the beginning of my mourning and still feel extreme shifts in emotional states but I will continue to use this book as my lifeboat for this very unhappy vogage to self-discovery and consolation.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Help along a hard path, November 1, 2005

By	Gary Sprandel (Frankfort, Kentucky) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is hard work to grieve. This book and its exercises help on this difficult process. Through 60 journaling exercises, you are asked to express how you feel, based on the belief that painful emotions and sorrowful feelings can't change unless they are expressed. This book helped me in the expression of that feeling. The other realization from this book is that you still have a relationship with the person that is gone. Like any relationship, this one is special (perhaps the most special relationship) and needs work so you don't idealize nor the reverse. It is not necessary to be Jewish to use this book. But do perform the exercises and the rituals (including the Kaddish). My only criticism is that the book should have included complete Hebrew and English versions of the Kaddish and others key prayers. May you find peace.