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You are here: Home / Archive / The rise of spiritual directors in Judaism

The rise of spiritual directors in Judaism

November 1, 2004 by Richard Cimino

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Growing numbers of Jews are training to become “spiritual directors,” reports Uriel Heilman in an article published on October 5 by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Halfway between therapy and counseling, this practice borrows from the Christian model of spiritual guidance as well as from psychotherapy, in order to help clients to discern God’s presence in their lives.

There are reported to be around 100 Jewish spiritual directors in North America, most of them trained in Christian programs, since Jewish programs are still very recent and offered only at three Jewish institutions. Besides conversation, monthly sessions may offer prayer, meditation, and chanting, at a cost of $60 to $80 per hour.

Only a minority of Jewish spiritual directors are rabbis. There seem to be no Orthodox Jews among them. The movement is attempting to find a place in the Jewish tradition, despite its aspects of New Age spirituality. However, Heilman reports, a number of Jews are critical and feel that the practice has more to do with catering to narcissism than with commitment to Judaism. (http://www.jta.org)

— By Jean-Francois Mayer, Contributing Editor to RW and founder of Religioscope (http://www.religion.info)

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