Congregation Beth Shalom: A Lovely Experience

I have just returned from a weekend as visiting scholar at Baton Rouge's Beth Shalom congregation. I had a delightful time. Rabbi Stan Zamek, my friend and host, was gracious as always. Rabbi Z, as his congregants call him, is a gifted spiritual leader. He is also a teacher of wide-ranging interests, being well-versed in Jewish meditation and deeply conversant in Sufism and its interface with Judaism. Stan's wife, Martha, is also a rabbi and serves as the Director of Education. That's a powerful intellectual lineup in a small Southern shul.

Anyway, I did a series of presentations on Jewish traditions of sorcery, angelology, and the monstrous. Beth Shalom is a remarkable congregation, with a deeply committed, knowledgable and pious membership. If you happen to be in the Baton Rouge area and are looking for a place to daven, check out Beth Shalom. I wish it and its rabbis long life and continued success.

Zal g'mor - to own the Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism, go to: http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Jewish-Myth-Magic-Mysticism/dp/0738709050