Every Day I Bless You
Reflections on the Healing Power of Shiva
Norman J. Fried, Ph.D.
Published by Urim Publications
Though the days of shiva are seven, containing a distinct beginning and a certain end, the days of our mourning continue on indefinitely, always searching for resolution. How we manage through our days, and the lessons we learn along the way, are our perpetual bounty to work with toward growth and understanding. Every Day I Bless You> introduces the many lessons that shiva can teach by bringing the reader into the house, the heart, and the mind of one who grieves. In addition, it offers essential and healing insights gleaned from the Jewish Bible and current psychological thought on grief and bereavement.
While the lessons we learn vary for each of us, one theme resounds throughout: Man "in need" seeks God, and God, through grief, seeks man. Like the "beloved" in Song of Songs who stands at the front of his lover's tent and says "Open to me" (Songs 5:2), God stands before us, concealed, but never far away. This theme is at the very heart of Every Day I Bless You. For when we are lost in the midst of a despairing world, it is our grieving spirit that leads us to a healing encounter with God.
About the Author
Norman J. Fried, Ph.D., is past director of psycho-social services for the Cancer Center for Kids and the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Winthrop University in Long Island, New York. A clinical psychologist with graduate degrees from Emory University, he has also taught in the medical schools of New York University and St. John's University, and has been a fellow in clinical and pediatric psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fried is a Disaster Mental Health Specialist for The American Red Cross of Greater New York, and he has a private practice in grief and bereavement counseling in Long Island. He is the author of the acclaimed The Angel Letters: Lessons that Dying Can Teach Us About Living (Ivan R. Dee Press, 2007). Dr. Fried is married with three sons and lives in Roslyn, New York.
Praise for Every Day I Bless You
In this beautifully written book, Dr. Norman Fried brings deep insights to the nature of the healing process provided by shiva. Based on his personal journey during the shiva for his mother, Dr. Fried presents a brilliant integration of psychological and Jewish thinking about grief, loss, and acceptance. The readers of this book will benefit from the wisdom garnered by Dr. Fried in his decades of experience as a respected psychologist who has provided solace and therapy to those facing end-of-life issues. I strongly recommend this book to anybody seeking a deeper understanding of the growth process and healing powers of the experience of Jewish ritual and thought.
~ David Pelcovitz, Ph.D., Yeshiva University, New York
In this emotionally moving and powerful book, Dr. Fried takes the reader on a spiritual journey of coping. He invites the reader into his heart and mind as he reports his observations and responses during the traditional and religious mourning process of shiva. More importantly, he provides meaningful guidance for people of all faiths and helps them to find strategies and strength to carry on."
~ Gerald P. Koocher, Ph.D., Children's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston; Past President of the American Psychological Association
Dr. Norman Fried's latest book Every Day I Bless You, is a thought-provoking and accessible volume that contains solid Judaic scholarship and flashes of psychological brilliance. It is a guide for those who struggle in the roiling waters and tears of the shiva period. His insights into the nuances of the human condition and man's existential challenges are presented with clarity and conviction. We look forward to more works from this truly gifted author."
~ Rabbi David Etengoff, Magen David Yeshiva
Reflections on the Healing Power of Shiva
Norman J. Fried, Ph.D.
Published by Urim Publications
Though the days of shiva are seven, containing a distinct beginning and a certain end, the days of our mourning continue on indefinitely, always searching for resolution. How we manage through our days, and the lessons we learn along the way, are our perpetual bounty to work with toward growth and understanding. Every Day I Bless You> introduces the many lessons that shiva can teach by bringing the reader into the house, the heart, and the mind of one who grieves. In addition, it offers essential and healing insights gleaned from the Jewish Bible and current psychological thought on grief and bereavement.
While the lessons we learn vary for each of us, one theme resounds throughout: Man "in need" seeks God, and God, through grief, seeks man. Like the "beloved" in Song of Songs who stands at the front of his lover's tent and says "Open to me" (Songs 5:2), God stands before us, concealed, but never far away. This theme is at the very heart of Every Day I Bless You. For when we are lost in the midst of a despairing world, it is our grieving spirit that leads us to a healing encounter with God.
About the Author
Norman J. Fried, Ph.D., is past director of psycho-social services for the Cancer Center for Kids and the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Winthrop University in Long Island, New York. A clinical psychologist with graduate degrees from Emory University, he has also taught in the medical schools of New York University and St. John's University, and has been a fellow in clinical and pediatric psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fried is a Disaster Mental Health Specialist for The American Red Cross of Greater New York, and he has a private practice in grief and bereavement counseling in Long Island. He is the author of the acclaimed The Angel Letters: Lessons that Dying Can Teach Us About Living (Ivan R. Dee Press, 2007). Dr. Fried is married with three sons and lives in Roslyn, New York.
Praise for Every Day I Bless You
In this beautifully written book, Dr. Norman Fried brings deep insights to the nature of the healing process provided by shiva. Based on his personal journey during the shiva for his mother, Dr. Fried presents a brilliant integration of psychological and Jewish thinking about grief, loss, and acceptance. The readers of this book will benefit from the wisdom garnered by Dr. Fried in his decades of experience as a respected psychologist who has provided solace and therapy to those facing end-of-life issues. I strongly recommend this book to anybody seeking a deeper understanding of the growth process and healing powers of the experience of Jewish ritual and thought.
~ David Pelcovitz, Ph.D., Yeshiva University, New York
In this emotionally moving and powerful book, Dr. Fried takes the reader on a spiritual journey of coping. He invites the reader into his heart and mind as he reports his observations and responses during the traditional and religious mourning process of shiva. More importantly, he provides meaningful guidance for people of all faiths and helps them to find strategies and strength to carry on."
~ Gerald P. Koocher, Ph.D., Children's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston; Past President of the American Psychological Association
Dr. Norman Fried's latest book Every Day I Bless You, is a thought-provoking and accessible volume that contains solid Judaic scholarship and flashes of psychological brilliance. It is a guide for those who struggle in the roiling waters and tears of the shiva period. His insights into the nuances of the human condition and man's existential challenges are presented with clarity and conviction. We look forward to more works from this truly gifted author."
~ Rabbi David Etengoff, Magen David Yeshiva