The Jewish Author Book Fair

Congregation Mikveh Israel (44 N. 4th St.) on Nov. 15 from 1-5 p.m.

Rabbi Yael Levy will be appearing, presenting, and selling copies of Psalms: Ancient Songs for These Times

Read an article in the Chestunut Hill Local about the event

‘Another participant is Rabbi Yael Levy, who formerly served at Mishkan Shalom, a Reconstructionist synagogue in Roxborough. A Mt. Airy resident, Levy is the co-founder of A Way In, a mindfulness practice rooted in Jewish tradition, where she hosts retreats and teaches online.

Levy will be presenting “Psalms: Ancient Songs for These Times,” an accessible guide for applying the wisdom of the Psalms to current times.

“The book comes out of my 25 years [as a rabbi],” Levy said. “Psalms are at the core of my spiritual practice, so this book is the result of my own exploration. I like to describe it as a collage. It has stories about my experiences with Psalms, instruction for meditation, instructions for how to be with the Psalms, and how they can be helpful.”

Levy is eager to share her deep connection with Psalms with others at the fair, which she describes as a “celebration of creativity and exploration.”

“The Psalms touch the range of human emotion and human experience, and they sing to us through time and space,” Levy said. “I think that they can give us strength and courage with whatever we face, and it’s kind of an all-hands-on-deck time for whatever would be helpful for us to be the best humans we can be. Psalms can be one of those tools.”’

In this luminous and accessible guide, Rabbi Yael Levy draws on years of study, teaching, and spiritual practice to reveal how the ancient songs of the Psalms speak directly to modern life. Through personal reflection and lived experience as a congregational rabbi and spiritual director, she shows how these sacred texts can steady the heart, clarify the mind, and awaken the courage to act with integrity.

Here you will find:

• Inspired translations from the Hebrew

• Psalm verses for times of joy, sadness, gratitude, and rage

• Guidance for confronting fear, navigating loss, and seeking justice

• Complete translations of fifty psalms

Rooted in Jewish tradition yet resonant far beyond it, this book invites readers of every life path to enter into conversation with the Psalms and discover their enduring power.

Whether you are seeking comfort, clarity, or a deeper spiritual practice, this guide offers a way to engage ancient wisdom in the midst of contemporary life.