On the Wings of Shekhinah
Rediscovering Judaism's Divine Feminine
One effect of rising interest in the Kabbalah is a renewed focus on the Shekhinah, Judaism's divine feminine principle. Written with warmth and clarity, On the Wings of Shekhinah interweaves historical views of this concept with thoughtful quotes and guided meditations. Rabbi Leah Novick offers healing strategies for both Jews and non-Jews disaffected by rigid gender roles. Awareness of the Shekhinah's energy within and around us helps bring hope to a planet afflicted by war, violence, and environmental abuse -- this book shows how to find and use that energy.
Rabbi Leah Novick is a spiritual teacher whose teaching and research has been focused on the Divine Feminine, referred to as "Shekhinah" in Judaism, for the last two decades. She draws on traditional knowledge, combining it with guided visualization and meditation in her workshops and ceremonies. She has also written biographies of Jewish women saints, which have been integrated into a theatre piece performed with her advanced students. Rabbi Leah was ordained in 1987. Since that time she has provided rabbinical leadership to both alternative and conventional Jewish groups in California including 'Beit Shekhinah' in Berkeley, Temple Beth El in Salinas, and 'Shabbos in Carmel' on the Central Coast. She is also founder and spiritual adviser to Ruach Ha Aretz, a Jewish spiritual retreat group that serves the Western states. Leah is featured in the International Hadassah calendar of "Women Rabbis around the World." She has also been honored with the title 'Pathfinder' by the Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal for her pioneering work in bringing the feminine into contemporary Jewish liturgy and rituals. Prior to her re-immersion in Jewish spirituality she had a long and distinguished career in Public Policy and Academia. During the 1980's she taught at the U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Public Policy. In the late 70's after serving as chief coordinator of the International Women's Year Commission, she was appointed ASSU guest professor at Stanford University. Leah moved to California in 1980 after ending a long marriage blessed with three grown children and five fabulous grand-children. Charmed by the West Coast (after several years in New York and Washington D.C.), she now resides in Carmel on the beautiful California central coast. She draws inspiration from the power of the natural environment and continues to travel and work for harmony, understanding, and peace between all people.
