Some people believe that there is a deep-seated connection between the physical and spiritual world. Some, like Yael Eckstein feel that “there does not need to be a separation between physical and spiritual actions” at all. And so Eckstein wrote the book “Spiritual Cooking with Yael: Recipes and Bible Mediations from the Holy Land.”
Living in Israel and being Senior Vice President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has resulted in Yael forming an understanding and appreciation of the spiritual work both Jews and Christians are doing. She explains: “After talking at length to many Fellowship supporters, I can truthfully say that I am deeply moved by their steadfast support for Israel and the Jewish people. In a complex and often confusing world, their faith has remained so simple and pure; they believe that God loves Israel, that the Jews belong in Israel, and feel that it is their responsibility to make sure that Jews are able to return home and that poor Jews are given the assistance they need.”
“Spiritual Cooking with Yael” is more than just another cookbook featuring Middle Eastern recipes. It enables the user to follow the recipes and simultaneously “learn how to integrate Bible verses, teachings, and meditations into the seemingly mundane act of cooking.”
Many have written about the spiritual connection of food. Peter Farb and George Armelagos, in their book “Consuming Passions: The Anthropology of Eating,” write: “Food to a large extent is what holds a society together, and eating is closely linked to deep spiritual experiences.”
What Yael has done in her book is, as one reviewer said, “helped me make a spiritual connection to preparing food for my family.” Eckstein has successfully brought spirituality into the kitchen.
A new policy was adopted in Portland recently by the City Council to ensure parents with a new child can get six weeks paid parental leave. This is also the case in an adoption or fostering. I do agree with Portland’s City Human Resources Director, Anna Kanwit’s statement that “parental leave has a positive impact on parents bonding with their children.” Yes, indeed; would have been nice if that would have been the law when I had kids! I think Daniel would have been much better to have been at home with the kids. I found it very hard.
