It has been said that God made people because God loves stories.
In which case Irwin is one of God's most beloved. The stories in
Shechinah at the Art Institute have many sources. Some are from the
life experience of the author. Others have been passed from hand
to hand for a thousand years. Still others are familiar as they are kin
to the stories which shape our own lives. The wisdom, humor, and
perspective in them all will enrich you and gently bind you to other
lives both ancient and modern. A good story heals the loneliness
which is the hidden wound of our time. Bravo Irwin. What a gift you
have offered to us all.
--Rachel Naomi Remen MD, author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and
My Grandfather's Blessings
I am not religious. But this book makes my heart sing. There's music
in Irwin's words. Wisdom, too. He reminds us that in this darkened
world, there is still light. And there is love. It's what makes this book
not just entertaining, but important.
--Linda Ellerbee, journalist and author
Quirky, playful, steeped in classical Jewish learning, Keller unveils
long-suppressed queerness in Jewish tradition and encounters the
sacred miraculously appearing in the secular world.
--Rabbi Dr. Rachel Adler, author of Engendering Judaism and Tales of
the Holy Mysticat
In these beautifully written meditations, Irwin Keller records his dialogue
with sacred texts of his Jewish tradition. Ay, absolutely wonderful,
so refreshing, hopeful in a world so desperate for peace.
--Greg Sarris, author of Grand Avenue and the forthcoming
collection, The Forgetters
