Book prepares readers for the coming holidays

By sandi carpello
Staff Writer

Book prepares readers
for the coming holidays
By sandi carpello
Staff Writer


JERRY WOLKOWITZ Rabbi Benjamin Levy of the Monroe Jewish Center shakes hands with a young reader during a book signing Tuesday at Border’s in East Brunswick.JERRY WOLKOWITZ Rabbi Benjamin Levy of the Monroe Jewish Center shakes hands with a young reader during a book signing Tuesday at Border’s in East Brunswick.

MONROE — With the Jewish New Year less than two weeks away, Monroe resident and religious leader Rabbi Benjamin Levy is bestowing his advice on starting the year off right.

In his new book entitled A Faithful Heart: Preparing for the High Holy Days, Levy, 47, a rabbi for the Etz Chaim Congregation at the Monroe Jewish Center, Cornell Avenue, discusses the importance of repentance and returning to God during the High Holy Days.

The holidays, including Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), are a period of humility and prayer for the Jewish people, Levy said.

Based on stories from the Old Testament, Levy offers his own commentary on the early life of the Biblical character, Abraham, and depicts him as a role model for all human beings.

"Abraham is a model for traits we want to bring out in ourselves," he said.

The book, published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in August 2001, is written in both Hebrew and English. It took three years to complete, according to Levy, who has been a rabbi at the local congregation since 1996.

Though the book is Levy’s first to be published, the rabbi said he spent several years in New York City writing plays, and he performed in many of them.

Levy noted that people from all religious backgrounds can enjoy the book. All the Hebrew words are accompanied by English translations, he said.