3 Great Movies About Jewish Families

The American movie business has always been closely tied with the Jewish community. Many of the most talented Jews on Vaudeville stages, like the Marx Brothers and George Burns, transitioned to the big screen where they offered up the wit and humor their audiences loved to viewers all over the world. It wouldn't be until much later that films started to overtly depict Jews, especially in candid portrayals of Jewish family life. The following three films are funny, touching and honest windows into American Jewish homes at different times in history.

Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986)

Neil Simon's 1983 stage comedy Brighton Beach Memoirs is the first of three semi-autobiographical plays he wrote about life as a Jew in America in the 20th century. It was adapted for the screen three years later. Brighton Beach Memoirs tells the story of the Jerome family, Polish Jews living in New York in the late 1930's. The main character, Eugene, is a gawky teen who acts as an observer of his family in a troubled time. It's a very funny, human comedy with the specter of World War II and the echoes of the Great Depression in the background. It depicts a tight-knit Jewish family becoming a part of the American cultural tapestry, holding onto tradition but joining in the rush of innovation.

 

Liberty Heights (1999)

Barry Levinson wrote and directed this 1950's period piece about a Jewish family living in Baltimore, Maryland amid the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement. It chronicles the last year the Kurtzman family spends together as their patriarch, a racketeer in the last vestiges of the Jewish mafia, struggles to maintain control of his territory while keeping his children safe. Ben Foster and Adrien Brody star as brothers Ben and Van, both experiencing antisemitism, integration and the rollercoaster of pending adulthood as cultures and generations clash.

 

Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)

The story of the Abromowitz family is as influenced by biblical epics as it is by the realities of life for Jews in America in the 1970's. Tamara Jenkins tells their story as a sometimes comical, sometimes tragic tale of nomadism, struggle, upheaval and family unity. Natasha Lyonne stars as teen middle child Vivian, a sharp, curious girl who finds herself surrounded by many flawed role models and new responsibilities. The family's religion isn't the central aspect of the story but their sensibilities and mannerisms would be familiar to anyone who grew up in a Jewish household, however mobile it may have been.

Ashkenazi, Sephardic and Mizrahic Jews

Jewish communities have existed for long periods of time in regions throughout the world. While Judaic or Hebraic have long been considered discreet ethnic designations, the fact that one's Jewishness has more to do with religious belief than genetic history has confused this label over the centuries. It has been nearly 2000 years since Jews belonged to a single ethnicity, a result of the great Jewish Diaspora that followed the Jewish rebellions against Roman rule in the imperial province of Judea. When Jerusalem was sacked and the Jews still living in the Roman Empire were scattered across the globe, smaller Jewish communities flourished outside of the once sovereign territory of Canaan. By the Middle Ages, three major ethnic subgroups arose within the Jewish community and we still recognize those groups today. They are the Ashenazim, the Sephardim and the Mizrahim.

Ashkenazi Jews made their home in the Rhine region, what is today Germany and much of Central and parts of Eastern Europe. The term "Ashkenaz" is the Medieval Hebrew word for German or Germanic. For a long time, the Ashkenazim were the smallest Jewish ethnic group, owing to a lack of material prosperity and general social isolation. By the 19th century, the Ashkenazim were the largest group of Jews in the world, their tight communities making marriage outside the faith difficult and their strong sense of identity creating a very distinct culture. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, millions of Ashkenazim immigrated to the United States seeking refuge from the oppression of antisemitic governments like Russia under the Czars and the fascist governments of Germany and Austria. Today, most American Jews have a clear Ashkenazi heritage, which includes Eastern European style food, the Yiddish language and the Roma-inspired Klezmer music genre.

Sephardic Jews are those who come from a Western and sometimes Northern European background. This was a particularly large Jewish ethnic group in the Middle Ages, thanks mostly to the presence of Muslim powers in Iberia. While Jews in the Middle Ages regularly suffered through expulsions (especially in England) and oppression under the famed Inquisition in Portugal, Spain and France, Muslim rulers in Spain and North Africa tended to be more tolerant of foreign faiths. As the Industrial Revolution and the increased secularization of Western Europe made life more hospitable for Jews, many of the Sephardim who had not already converted to other faiths further integrated into regular society. Where once the Western cities of what the Jews called "Spharad" were home to the greatest scholars of the faith, the Sephardim were forced by political circumstances to scatter several times throughout their history. Large groups went to Brazil, the United States and Israel, bringing with them the cultural hallmarks of Western Europe and a take on Jewish liturgy that differs somewhat from the Ashkenazi concepts most Jews adhere to today.

Mizrahi Jews are those who remained or eventually resettled the East after the diaspora. Their region includes a far-flung collection of locales including Israel, parts of Africa, the Caucasus Mountains and even India and Pakistan. This placed them almost entirely within Muslim-dominated societies, with varying results throughout history. More ethnically distinct than their Sephardic cousins but not as socially isolated as the Ashkenazim, the Mizrahi Jews survived much as their ancestors did, as a combination of landed provincial people and creative urban professionals. Many recent controversies, especially the ongoing Arab/Israeli conflict, has pushed most Mizrahim to immigrate to Israel, though many of North African origins made large communities in France.

 

Today, the ethnic subgroups of Jewish culture aren't as strongly defined as they once were. There is such a thing as a global Jewish community now, made possible by communications technology and a center of heritage in Israel. Jews are a well-traveled people, though thankfully modern social progress has allowed Jews to thrive without having to survive in ethnically isolated communities.

Jewish Weddings

The modern Jewish wedding is a combination of ancient traditions and culture-wide secular practices, a proper reflection of how Jews fit into modern society. Many elements of a Jewish wedding would be familiar to anyone who grew up in Western culture. Men wear tuxedos, the bride wears a white dress with a veil and train, the ceremony is most often followed by a formal reception. Little about the ceremony itself would seem esoteric to an outsider, though there are some symbols and rituals that are unique to the Jewish wedding that bear some explaining.

All Jewish wedding ceremonies are preceded by the signing of the ketubah. This is a marriage contract that dates back a little less than 2000 years ago at the beginning of the Rabbinic Age in Jewish practice. The signed ketubah is read aloud by the rabbi at the ceremony itself as proof of the agreement between the two parties being joined. For a more detailed explanation of the form and function of the ketubah, please see our previous article on the topic.

After the signing of the ketubah, the public ceremony begins. This is where the wedding has the most similarity to the traditional Western ceremony. The wedding party makes a formal procession at the scene of the ceremony, usually at the synagogue. The groom arrives just prior to the bride and the two are joined by their hand-selected matrons, maids and groomsmen. The wedding party does not line up by gender on either side of the betrothed, though. They are broken up into four groups, usually half representing the groom and half representing the bride. They stand at the four corners of the khuppah, the ceremonial canopy under which the bride, groom and rabbi stand.

The khuppah is usually a slightly ornate covering consisting of four thin posts and a cloth top. The canopy symbolizes the home the new couple are establishing with their marriage. The friends and family standing at the four corners represent the foundation of that home. This is a reminder that a Jewish home can only stay upright with the help of loved ones and community, especially the cooperation of the two families being joined by the wedding.

It is traditional to exchange rings, as per usual. It has been popular since the 20th century to recite the poetic phrase "ani l'dodi v'dodi li" from The Song of Songs, meaning "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" at this point in the ceremony.

One of the oldest elements of the Jewish wedding is the recitation of the Seven Blessings. This ritual has been a part of Jewish weddings since pre-Talmudic times, possibly even pre-Rabbinic. The Seven Blessings recount, literally or in metaphor, the gifts of prosperity, continued creation, humanity, holiness, Jewish culture, marriage and celebration. It is traditional for the bride and groom to drink from a glass of wine to toast the blessings as well.

The last Jewish wedding tradition is the breaking of a glass by the groom. A small glass is covered by a cloth and the groom steps on it at the pronouncement of the marriage. This symbolizes the potential trials the new couple will face in their life together. It depicts the destruction of something fragile that is nonetheless contained. The cloth can be seen as a miniature khuppah, showing the ability of a strong marriage to overcome strife.

These are the unique rituals of the Jewish wedding. They are powerful symbols of the life the new couple will lead together, a combination of law, family and joy.

A Synagogue Guide for Non-Jewish Visitors

On any given Friday night, most if not all the people in a synagogue are Jewish. They either grew up experiencing the rituals and traditions of the faith or they were diligently taught about them during the process of conversion. Occasionally non-Jewish visitors go to a synagogue as guests of congregants or as curious outsiders of a different faith who want to participate in a cultural exchange. For these newcomers the experience of services at a Jewish house of worship can be strange or jarring. This is a quick guide to demystify some of the unique aspects of ritual at the average synagogue for those who have never visited one before.

What is that hat and why are only the men wearing it?

The round skullcap worn mostly by men at a Jewish service is called a kipah (kee-pah) or a yarmulke (yah-mah-kah or yah-mul-kah, depending on region). It is worn as a sign of respect for the ritual space and as a physical reminder of the divine presence that is, metaphorically speaking, always above us. While it has long been the tradition for men exclusively to wear them, there is no rule prohibiting women from wearing them as well. In fact, in more conservative Jewish circles, the women do indeed wear kipot. As a non-Jewish visitor you are not required to wear one, though you'll appear more in-the-know if you do.

 

Another clothing question: What is that shawl with the fringes some people are wearing?

The traditional prayer shawl is called a talit (or talis in some Ashkenazi Jewish communities). Like the kipah it is a symbol of reverence and an acknowledgment of the ritual taking place. It represents an individual wrapping his or her self in the laws of Torah. Usually only those Jews who have achieved a bar or bat mitzvah wear talit. In some synagogues it is the custom to only wear talit when the Torah itself is being read. As a non-Jewish visitor, it will likely be seen as inappropriate for you to wear one, though there is no specific rule against it.

 

Why do the books open backward?

Most Jewish prayer books open right-to-left in accordance with how the Hebrew language, found inside the books, is read.

 

Why are some English parts of the prayer book italicized?

Congregant participation is vital to any Jewish ritual. At times throughout the service, those in attendance will be asked to read the italicized text together out loud in response to the plain text recited by the person leading the service.

 

What are those gestures people make during certain parts of the service?

During specific prayers it has long been the custom to incorporate certain movements, such as bowing or turning to face a specific direction. There are usually no instructions in the supplied prayer books concerning these motions, as they are usually passed down to new generations by observation alone. You are not obligated to mimic these movements, though it is polite to follow any motion instructions given by the service leader.

 

There's food after the service is over. Is it polite for me to eat some of it?

Absolutely. The refreshments after the service, called an Oneg Shabbat (joy of the sabbath), are provided for all congregants and their guests. The purpose of this post-service snack is to give those in attendance incentive to stick around, chat and meet new people. As a guest you are not only welcome to enjoy the oneg, you are encouraged to. Don't worry, the congregants won't take this time to preach to you. In fact, proselytizing is generally frowned upon in the Jewish community. Take the oneg as an opportunity to make new friends, ask any questions you may have and generally relax.

 

These are some of the most common questions non-Jewish visitors have during their first time at a synagogue. If you readers have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask them in our comments section.

Religion Class Causes Stir in Secular School

How would you feel if your child went to his third grade, secular classroom one day and was instructed that he was going to attend a religious class without your permission? A class that, rather than demonstrating different viewpoints and allowing constructive discussion, serves to only indoctrinate children in one religion—a class that taught your child that only the Muslim faith is the way to live (and die)?

This very thing happened—only, instead of a Muslim class, it was a Christian one. If it were a Muslim class, do you think this behavior would’ve even been allowed in any secular school district? If it were a Wiccan, Buddhist, or even Jewish “little church on wheels,” as this program was described, not only would the whole situation have probably been avoided entirely—but entire communities be outraged, too.

The Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County—which do claim to be “nondenominational,” which can really be applied to any religion; I know dozens of “nondenominational Christians”—recently taught an actual Bible school curriculum in mobile classrooms on the grounds of a secular school. Parents were not notified of the classes, which surrounded teachings that, according to the Associated Churches, are, “based on understanding the word of God and applying it to our lives, living as an example of God's love, and trying to be more like Jesus every day.”

Exactly what we all want our kids to learn in school. Except that it’s not.

I have no problem with people teaching their children about their faith within their homes and places of worship. I also have no problem with teaching about religion in school—as long as it’s in a nonbiased way, where several viewpoints are presented and discussed, allowing for critical thinking, probative discourse, and other things that should be in schools to take place. “Understanding the word of God,” applying in this very limited interpretation of the Bible and how this group views the word God itself, has no place in a non-religious classroom. Period.

The American Civil Liberties Union is helping one outraged family who found out about the lesson file a suit against the school. The mandates of the suit ask that the judge rule the program unconstitutional, thereby banning it from the school in the future.

What I want to know is why the hell it’s allowed to be there in the first place? I don’t think a lawsuit should even be warranted; an automatic removal of the program and instruction to not promote it on a public school again should suffice, wouldn’t you think?  

Mysticism Demystified: 10 Sephirot

Jewish mysticism, commonly referred to by the name of its collected text Kabbalah, is a subject of contention and much misunderstanding. Much of it came out of the teachings of Judaic scholars in the Middle Ages who attempted to create a deeply spiritual component of Judaism in conjunction with the daily rituals of Halakha and the rabbinic law of Talmud. These scholars were travelers and students of many different modes of thought throughout Europe, North Africa and Muslim-controlled Asia, so their mystical concepts often reflect those influences. It is most important to remember that Kabbalah was never intended to be a system of magic or an explanation of natural phenomena. Rather, it is a deeply metaphorical set of concepts that require an understanding of many Jewish topics and texts in order to apply properly. One of the central concepts in Kabbalah is the Ten Sephirot.

The Ten Sephirot are a metaphor for how Middle Ages Jewish scholars interpreted the divine, specifically as observed in the act and nature of creation. These ten attributes represent those aspects of consciousness and action the rabbis considered holy, of the highest regard. While they are presented as attributes of God, most are things we can see reflected in ourselves and more importantly they are things to which we can aspire.

Keter, meaning "Crown", is often absent from most representations of the Ten Sephirot, as it was later replaced by Da'at, so strictly speaking there are eleven Sephirot but only ten regularly recognized. The crown of Keter represents the inaccessible divinity of God above and outside all else. The sages came to a general consensus that in order for there to be a God-like divinity, it had to be fundamentally removed from all else to make it clear how that divinity is not subject to the same rules and limitations of life.

Da'at means "Discerning intellect, reason". This indicates not just general intellect but the logic behind a particular subject, i.e. "da'at mekanit" would translate as "the logic of automobiles". It is therefore considered holy to have a functional knowledge of what one creates as one creates it.


Khokhma means "Wisdom", though it is different than Da'at by merit of an inherent holiness or general above-ness. There is a moral element to this. It is intelligence that informs right action.

Binah is "Understanding". The word shares a root with the word Ben, meaning "son". The implication of this common root is that understanding results from a sort of epiphany with a logical "parentage" of thought, that Observation+Existing Knowledge = Understanding.

Khesed means "Kindness". This word appears in key places in the Bible to describe a common but no less remarkable human warmth. It indicates kindness beyond custom and obligation.

Gevurah is "Courage" or strength of disposition in the sense of battle, actual or metaphorical. The implication is that creative action requires real mettle, that it's not easy.

Tiferet means physical, or more accurately, intentional beauty. It shares a root for the word for "decoration". It's also important to note that, grammatically, this shouldn't stand alone. The lone adjectival version is "tiferah", so this implies a connection to a noun to come afterward. For example, "Tiferet Yisrael" means "the beauty of Israel". It's an intentional fill-in-the-blank. If one must create, one should create with an aim toward the beauty inherent to the creation.

Netzach is the hardest of the Sephirot to translate. Roughly, it comes out as "forward momentum, continuation". It is usually translated as "infinity" but that's really off the mark. It more closely implies the continual nature of creation and a forward-thinking attitude. If one must create, one can only create for the present and future.

Hod means "Glory" in the sense of formal recognition by others. It is tangentially related to the word todah, meaning "thank you". This indicates respect between the creation and the creator.

Yesod is "Foundation", as in the noun version of "to found". It is intentional creation with a slight implication of intended permanence.

Finally, Malkut is "Kingship", the state of being a leader. This is another dangling adjective that needs a proceeding noun to make grammatical sense, so it would be "kingship of _______". It could very well come out as "kingship in the realm of knitting" or "kingship of music". No matter what is being created, one is ultimately responsible for the well-being of the creation.

Clearing Up The Misconceptions

Ever since I ran for President, a lot of false rumors and misconceptions about me and my family have floated around the water coolers, media outlets and surveys of America. There are a stunning number of people who believe things about me that just aren't true. Well, I've tried to dedicate my presidency to discontinuing the policy of secrets and dishonesty held by the last administration. It's my duty as an elected official to come clean about everything people have asked about me, from the most valid to the most unfounded. Here are my definitive answers, once and for all.

In a recent survey, one in five Americans stated that they believe I'm Muslim. I can't say exactly why they believe this. Perhaps it's my name, which has an Arabic root, or perhaps it's because I recently stated that I feel the proposed mosque and Muslim community center in Manhattan has every right to build on its intended location. Of course, it could also be because of a small-minded smear campaign aimed at me by people who want to muddy the waters of American politics with controversial (though irrelevant) details of my personal life. While I have great respect for the practitioners of Islam both at home and abroad, and I believe we as a nation need to embrace the message of peace and education that is central to the Muslim faith, I am not, myself, a Muslim.

This has caused a number of people to question what, if not Islam, my religion is. Many people believe me a Christian because I said I was during the election. Yes, during the 2008 presidential race I was, in fact, a practicing Christian. The reason this has even been a question likely has to do with my upbringing as an orthodox Jew. I recall my youthful days in the yeshiva, braiding my sideburns and watching my mother light the candles on Shabbat. It was a happy time, a simpler time. The day of my bar mitzvah remains one of the proudest moments of my life. Though I am not a practicing Jew any longer, I look on that period as one of value. To eliminate any confusion, I must admit that I have since left the Christian church and have adopted a new but no less valid faith. As of March 2010, I became a humble worshiper of Kaabu, the great spirit of Jupiter's moons. Kaabu's power and wisdom keeps Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and 59 other celestial bodies revolving in harmony, so I bow to His might that He may lend balance to my own life.

Another misconception about me is that I wasn't born in the United States. Again, completely untrue. I am a lifelong American citizen, born right here in these United States like every other President before me. There has been some confusion, though, surrounding my birth certificate from Hawaii. This issue, I admit, is all my fault. It is a consequence of a younger, less prudent Barack Obama. I was actually not born in Hawaii. Rather, I was born in the bucolic countryside of rural Kansas. I spent my childhood baling hay and milking cows, longing for something bigger, something beyond my little farm town. It was that drive to greatness that brought me to the bustling streets of Chicago and eventually to the White House, but before that it was what compelled me to tell a small lie to my dorm mates at college about growing up on the gorgeous beaches of Hawaii. I even went so far as to print a fake birth certificate to prove it. I'm sorry for doing this and I hope my admission today clears this up once and for all.

So, now you all know the truth. I've told you my story, however improbable, and now it's time to end the discussion. There are more important things to talk about and if after reading everything I've written above you still need evidence of my faith and origin, then there is nothing I can do to convince you otherwise.

Kaabu Be With You,

-Barack Herschel Obama

When I get that Feelin' I need Spiritual Healin'

Have you ever got that "sinking" feeling - for no reason? You know, the feeling that there is something wrong with you or the world and it seems like you just can't seem to shake the thoughts? Perhaps you have been feeling ill lately and desperately need a cure to what ails you? It might be time for a spiritual talk with the leader you most admire or respect.

Studies have shown that there is some healing power attached to a talk with God. It is the power of faith and belief that give a boost to at least the sense of healing and these feelings can be both positive and negative - depending on the context of the conversation. A real spiritual talk can lift one up and boost both morale and the overall well-being of the recipient.

"When I am asked whether religious healing works, my answer usually goes something like this: People we meet in communities around the world say that religious practices have healed them,and I am inclined to accept what they say at face value. Along the same lines, I point out, people in communities around the world say that ritual practices involving sorcery, cursing, and the evil eye have hurt them, and I am equally inclined to accept what those people say at face value." - Susan Sered on What Religion Teaches about Healing, and What Healing Teaches about Religion.

So if you are feeling down and out... maybe try getting a lift from one of your favorite religious icons. Pray to God or your Prophet and ask for assistance in feeling better. Ask this religious leader what you can do to feel better and what will help you get back on the track to good health - you might be surprised at the outcome. If you are feeling a little hesitant or do not know or understand religion seek out assistance from a local religious order you most identify with - the religious officials at churches, mosques, and synagogues are always available to assist you.

The best of luck on your spiritual journey and I wish you the very best of health and life!

A Brief Introduction to Talmud

In the modern day we take the practice of non-geographic religion for granted. While there are still a few so-called "holy cities" left in the world, there is no such thing as a religion that is bound to any one locus. In ancient times, the inverse was true. Few religions that existed two to three thousand years ago could be fully observed in literally any location. Polytheistic faiths, like those practiced by the Greeks and Romans, were dependent on temples and the priests who were bound to them, mobile only insofar as an individual's ability to properly build an altar or in the form of quasi-religious Mystery cults. This was even further pronounced in the earliest Near Eastern cities where the worship of a particular god came and went with the city itself. It's not entirely certain how mobile the earliest incarnations of Judaism were, but by the time the Judaic kingdoms in Canaan were established, Judaism was solidly anchored to the Temple in Jerusalem. It was only after two periods of exile that Judaism became a traveler's religion.

The two greatest written traditions in Judaism came about thanks to periods of conquest and diaspora. First, the Babylonian Empire consumed the Levant and forced the Jews of Canaan to live elsewhere in Babylon, removing them from their national seat of power and culture for the sake of political stability. Faced with the task of maintaining Jewish culture without the benefit of a Temple or a priestly leadership caste, Jews began writing down their stories in what would eventually become the Tanakh, the written Five Books of Moses. It is from this tradition that today's Torah scrolls originate. It wouldn't be until the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem by the Roman Empire in 70 CE that the Talmud would come into being.

After 70 CE, Judaism shifted away from Temple-based worship almost entirely. The Cohanim (the priests who oversaw all sacrifice and, for a time, acted as supreme judges) ceased to be relevant to everyday Jewish life in the diaspora and were ultimately replaced as community leaders by the rabbis, learned individuals who act more as teachers and counselors than as holy men. The rabbis transformed the format of Jewish religious discourse from a purely spoken discussion to a written, compiled commentary. This transition didn't exactly begin at the Roman conquest. Rather, it was a natural evolution from the Judean system of courts and sages that came about approximately two centuries earlier. The texts we know today as the Talmud slowly came into being in this post-Cohanim period.

In its simplest definition, Talmud (which roughly translates as "teachings") is a series of scholarly discussions and commentaries posited by certain highly regarded rabbis over the course of several generations. It is the basis for most rabbinic law and many of the customary practices of modern Judaism. The most important thing to remember about Talmud is that it is not an end-all work of law. Rather, it is a compilation of the informed opinions of people who went about Biblical exegesis with academic rigor. Different sages express different interpretations of the same passage and none of them are deemed absolutely correct. At best, Talmudic texts display a consensus of opinion. It is not meant as a replacement or final conceptualization of Torah. Rather, it is a method with which Jews can understand the practice of their faith without deferring to an ultimate authority that is subject to change capriciously.

Eat, Pray, Love – Women in Charge of Their Lives

Women have always been thought of as “the weaker sex." Now the world is finally becoming aware that women are no longer weak and are also taking charge of their lives.

In the book and the movie “Eat, Pray, Love,” one woman takes an enormous risk by getting a divorce and traveling the world alone in search of herself. Traveling worldwide may seem extreme to some, but to really find herself this woman felt that she had to gain distance from all that was comfortable for her.

After a painful divorce, this woman was depressed, losing weight and confused. She leaves America and goes to Italy where she learns the language and the culture-including the food. While in Italy she realizes that being happy means not being a small clothes size but being happy with yourself no matter what size. In fact she gains twenty-three pounds and has never felt happier. She also gets rid of her depression without the use of medication.

In India, she begins to get in touch with her inner self through meditation. This starts off badly as her mind is a mass of endless cluttered thoughts. After hours of practice she finds that to know God you must look inside yourself and for real peace to happen in your life a person must think of themselves sometimes. To think of oneself is not a widely accepted behavior, but this movie/book shows that it is a necessary habit every woman should practice.

In Bali, the woman finds love truly for the first time. It happens unexpectedly, which is the best way to find love. She realizes that to find peace and happiness you must look at the world from the heart and not from thoughts. This is the only way to achieve balance between the world and God.

This book shows women that they cannot have an honest life without sacrificing something and that there is no easy way to decide what is to be sacrificed. However, the decision is the woman’s and no one else and she should decide what to let go to be happiest.

The book and movie allows women the privilege of transforming themselves. Most often it is thought that women are perfect for the task they are given (being and doing all that a woman does) and they should not want to change themselves.

Many times women worry over something thing that has happened and is now over. This book and movie states that this is one reason we miss all the beauty surrounding us. We should let go and live in the moment. We cannot redo what has already happened.

Eat, Pray, Love shows women that they have to work hard to create their own opportunities for peace and happiness and this may require stopping all else and listen to your heart. No one else can do this for you.

 

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