CCAR

By Alden Solovy
Foreword by Rabbi Leon Morris

In This Precious Life, liturgist Alden Solovy presents prayers, poetry, and meditations inspired by encounters with God. The first part draws from divine moments in our sacred texts, mostly the Torah but also the Prophets and the Writings. Using a contemporary voice, Solovy imagines these holy moments as experienced by our biblical ancestors so we can reclaim them as our own. The second part focuses on sacred moments in our daily lives, connections with the Divine that occur simply because we are human beings created in God's image. Equally suited to individual reflection and group prayer, the book completes a trilogy with This Grateful Heart and This Joyous Soul.

Table of Contents

For many years, I've watched Alden Solovy develop his craft of writing liturgical poetry and helping others find their voice and express the prayers of their hearts. Alden's poetry is so powerful because it comes from deep within his soul and speaks directly to ours. He brings a deep love and respect for Torah, traditional liturgy, and the land and people of Israel, which he combines with honesty about the human condition based on his personal experiences. His poetry brings us closer to Jewish tradition and more in tune with our own souls.
- Rabbi Andrea London, Senior Rabbi, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue

Alden Solovy is a modern-day paytan, a liturgical poet who takes up the psalmist's call to "sing unto the Eternal a new song." Just like the classical paytanim, he uses ancient Jewish concepts and traditional phrases but reconstructs them in completely new and innovative ways. His work combines midrashic originality with poetic beauty. Alden's poems are imbued with profound insights that will surely touch contemporary readers.
- Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD, Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Liturgy and Midrash, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

This Precious Life is perhaps Alden Solovy's most evocative poetry collection to date. With honest and stirring insight, Solovy captures the breadth of emotion--the yearning and loneliness as well the joy and gratitude--of the unceasing spiritual quest, enabling us to see ourselves and hear our voices calling out for God in both the ancient narratives of our tradition and the experiences of our daily lives.
- Rabbi Ron Segal, President, Central Conference of American Rabbis

In his introduction, Alden Solovy informs the reader that we "will experience the Divine in the poetry of living." Yet what we discover is that we can live his poetry as it gives meaning to our lives. The collection is really a trajectory, composed with his soulful words, to launch our souls to soar even as we delve into the depths of our inner lives. Alden unlocks a pathway into sacred being, thinking, and living. You may start by assuming you are simply reading this book, but image by image, thought by thought, interpretation by interpretation, it will transport and transform you to discover the beauty of life as a precious, sacred gift.
- Rabbi Elaine Zecher, Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel of Boston

A salve for the soul, this book is especially helpful for the challenging times in which we are living.
- Jewish Post & Opinion


Check out an interview with the author of This Precious Life, Alden Solovy
Watch the book launch
Listen to Alden Solovy on the Seekers of Meaning Podcast

Also Available:

Watch the official trailer