- Publisher : Maggid
- Publication date : October 28, 2025
- Language : English
- Print length : 428 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1592646859
- ISBN-13 : 978-1592646852
- Hardcover : $37.39
The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing
Both Jews and non-Jews will derive a wealth of important information from Dr. Batya L. Ludman and Gina Junger’s 405-page book, The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing. The book is by a Jewish clinical psychologist and Jewish educator. With warm, caring, sometimes humorous, and always wise advice, they guide mourners step by step through the grief-filled loss of a loved one.
Until recently, the best-known book discussing the stages of grief was On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, first published in 1969. While it originally focused on patients facing their own terminal illness, it introduced the famous five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—which are now widely applied to the loss of friends and relatives.
She was not alone in describing the emotions provoked by the loss of loved ones. Others include:
“There are special people in our lives who never leave us, even after they are gone.” D. Morgan
“We do not remember days, we remember moments.” Cesare Pavese
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched; they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller
“There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” Mahatma Gandhi
“I’ll remember you. When I’ve forgotten all the rest. You to me were true. You to me were the best.” Bob Dylan
“As long as we live, they too will live; for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.” Jewish Prayer
This book, The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing, which discusses illness, death, funeral, burial, shiva, sheloshim, mourning practices during the first year, end of year, second year, relationship changes, suicide, children, the world beyond the grave, support groups, helplines, that includes prayer, references, and healing after loss, addresses all that should be addressed and is very helpful.
Death is a certainty, and the emotional and spiritual thoughts that it precipitates agonize and often leave mourners disoriented and alone. In The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing, Batya L. Ludman and Gina Junger provide a compassionate guide to navigating grief through the lens of centuries of Jewish tradition. Combining psychological insight with religious wisdom, the authors offer readers comfort and practical direction during one of life’s most difficult times.
The authors include short vignettes that reflect real emotions—confusion, anger, guilt, loneliness, and eventual acceptance — and the examples show readers that their reactions are part of a common human experience that can be resolved.
They demonstrate how traditional rituals—such as shiva, sheloshim, and the mourning periods—mirror the natural physical stages of emotional healing. They show that, rather than mere customs, they serve a profound psychological purpose: to grasp mourners and help them move step by step from the disturbing shock of loss toward a renewed engagement with life.
I agree with you and Socrates that one should not fear death because there are only two possibilities: either death is like sleep, or there is an afterlife. I like this approach, especially the latter, but if death is indeed like sleep, then simple enjoyments like music and food will be lacking, not like a dream, tho no different than the state we were in before we were born. What do you think?
He was saying that there is nothing to fear. He felt he would be awarded if there is an afterlife and if there is not, he will feel no pain after death.
I agree with you and Socrates that one should not fear death because there are only two possibilities: death is like sleep, or there is an afterlife. I like this approach, especially the latter, but if death is indeed like sleep, then simple enjoyments like music and food will be lacking, tho no different than the state we were in before we were born. What do you think?
Thank you for the recommended book rabbi.
It will help me grieve for my father’s passing 2 yrs from today.
I am glad I helped.
Your review, dear Rabbi Israel Drazin, highlights the book’s warmth, wisdom, and step‑by‑step guidance, which are exactly what readers often praise. It’s a resource that feels like having a compassionate professional sitting beside you, helping you breathe through the hardest moments. Best, stephen
Thanks for your kind words, Stephen.
Israel