The December Project: An Extraordinary Rabbi and a Skeptical Seeker Confront Life's Greatest Mystery – A Jewish Book Award Finalist Memoir on Facing Mortality with Gratitude and Spiritual Tools Paperback – March 18, 2015

I'm also a Jewish intellectual but I'm an atheist, too. So it probably isn't fair for me to review The December Project. In fact, I just stopped reading it about three quarters of the way through. I'd had enough of Rabbi Zalman's passion - for everything! - which came alive in the book thanks to Sara Davidson's skillful writing. While I both admired and read with curiosity about their common interest in just about everything from birth to death, I finally got bored with their mutual navel-gazing and emotional stroking.As an astrologer, I learned early on that Reb Zalman was a Virgo; ironically, today 8/28/21, would have been his ninety-seventh birthday. As I read, I kept wanting to say to Sara that in a general sense people with Virgo suns or other strong Virgo placements are almost always hypochondriacal. Or, to state it less negatively, they are seriously pre-occupied with their physical bodies. And, when their physical bodies are not well, neither is the rest of them, more profoundly than people born at other times of the year. Reb Zalman was in constant touch with the most minute details of his bodily functioning and how they were impacting on his spiritual and psychological well-being.I knew my involvement with the book would be limited after an odd thing happened. Around page 78, when Zalman was going to meet Thomas Merton, Sara described how the two devout and venerable men would meet and have "a dialogue of the devout." Zalman was quoted as saying, "I love God, you love God, so let’s talk about how we’re getting on with God and with our prayer.”I started to laugh. It struck me as so absurd that these two educated, philosophical men were going to meet and have a serious discussion about a figure that was purely imaginary, presenting to each other their individual ideas about the figure everyone calls "God".A final disappointment was on p.132 when Sara referred to her "new regime" which I'm pretty certain should have been her "new regimen." Anyone can make mistakes but I suppose my respect for her as a writer is so strong that I feel she shouldn't be making ones like this.Finally, I'd be disingenuous if I didn't add this: I'm pretty sure I stopped reading when I did because the content was getting too heavily tilted toward December's final days. Reading about Sara's own fears when she experienced physical problems, and, of course, Rabbi Zalman's obsessive focus on his own which ultimately concluded with his death, made me more aware of my own December issues.

Absolutely beautiful book and highly recommend to understand the shifts and changes of growing older in a joyful and life affirming way. Highly recommend this book.

The December Project:An Extraordinary Rabbe and a Skeptical Seeker Confronting Life's Greatest Mystery by Sara DavidsonI am drawn to anything that Sara Davidson writes. If it is in an article in the New Yorker, Vogue, New York Times she intrigues me because Sara and I share similar interests, similar seeking and similar age.She draws me into the story by describing the "extraordinary" rabbe and also includes her own questions and personal journey."The rebbe is Reb Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, the founder of the Jewish Renewal movement and one of the most creative and impactful Jewish theologians of the last forty years" Reb Michael Lerner in a Tikkum newsletter.Reb Zalman died July 3rd, 2014. And the title of Sara Davidson's book: The December Project, was really about the Reb Zalman preparation for the final chapter of his life.So the book includes the Rebbe's life story, his Jewish theology, jokes, and the background to become the founder and leader of the Renewal Movement. He started his journey as a Hassid Young Student. And with his being an observer and participant in the `60s and `70s forms of Enlightenment decided to include some of these experiences in his missionSara was very blessed to have these hours with Rebbe Zalman, and to write it as a seeker and cognizant of who Reb Zalman really was.There are so many delicious stories and history I wouldn't try to mention in this review. She was meeting wit Reb Zalman right until the very end.He selected Sara to help him with this book by meeting with her for two hours every Friday for two years. They both lived in Boulder Colorado and he knew she would the perfect collaborator for this book.I would love to persuade you to read this wonderful book and enjoy and learn.

The December Project: An Extraordinary Rabbi and a Skeptical Seeker Confront Life's Greatest Mystery  is a record of a series of conversations between Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, the founder of Jewish Renewal, and Sara Davidson, the author.In some ways, this book is an update on Reb Zalman's earlier classic,  From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Revolutionary Approach to Growing Older  written when he was in his 60's. Now, at nearly 90, he concentrates on the "December" period of life by exploring what psychological, spiritual, and other work needs to be done before one dies. In the earlier book, Reb Zalman gathered a lot of related material and presented it along with his own ideas and experience. In this new book, Reb Zalman shares his own wisdom directly, often in the form of stories and in the spiritual counseling he offers the author.Reb Zalman's wisdom is extraordinary and it is a pleasure to read this account. The conversations with Davidson took place once a week for two years and I wish that the book was twice as long and had more of their conversations included! Davidson ends with a dozen short exercises to help the reader work through end-of-life issues.Fortunately there are other books by Reb Zalman that offer additional chances to read his stories and thoughts. Three of my favorites are  Spiritual Intimacy: A Study of Counseling in Hasidism , Wrapped in a Holy Flame: Teachings and Tales of The Hasidic Masters , and  My Life in Jewish Renewal: A Memoir . There is also a wonderful book about a meeting between Reb Zalman and others with the Dalai Lama ( The Jew in the Lotus, 1st, First Edition ).

A wonderful book, an inspiring read for those of us reaching "that" age, or dealing with aging parents as I am. Sara Davidson's relationship with Reb Zalman is very unique and allows her to question him in a most poignant way. An excellent read.

Great book!

Not what I expected. I found it to be a far cry from, "Tuesday with Morrie". I am sorry to say, for me, it was a disappointing read. It did not bring me to a place of inner peace, which I had hoped would have been the case having delved into the mind of an "An Extraordinary Rabbi".

A lire et a relire avant et pendant le Decembre de la vie... plus rien à ajouter.... Amazon...pourquoi obliger à aligner les mots si on n'a plus rien à dire...