Smokescreen: A Jewish Approach to Stop Smoking

"Ostensibly about smoking cessation, this book goes beyond describing techniques and strategies, instead emphasizing how optimizing one's spiritual well-being becomes a means to stop smoking. The authors' presentation of diverse topics such as history, biblical law, Jewish mystical thought, psychology, biology and neuroscience results in a text that is both fascinating and informative. The inclusion of illustrations in addition to Talmudic and Chassidic tales aids in bringing home the teaching points and makes for entertaining reading. Their conclusion that maximizing one's spiritual potential is consistent with the evolutionary direction in which humankind is moving is certainly thought provoking. Overall, the authors offer a unique perspective on smoking cessation and end on an uplifting note of hopefulness on what is otherwise a grim subject."

--Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director, Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

"I thought I was at least moderately familiar with Jewish thought and Judaism in general, but now I feel far more knowledgeable thanks to this book. I thought the inclusion of spirituality in the quest to overcome such a difficult addiction was a wonderful way to approach this topic. It reminded me of the quote from Jung regarding his patient who was an alcoholic, 'His craving for alcohol was the equivalent, at a low level, of the spiritual thirst of our being for wholeness; expressed in medieval language: the union with God. You see, 'alcohol' in Latin is spiritus, and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison.' In short, it's a lovely book that's an easy read for the lay person interested in using this unique perspective to overcome a difficult addiction."

--Reverend W. Steven Saunders, PsyD., Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando,

Rabbi Bruce Forman earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Duke University in 1978, and has worked in both academia and independent professional practice. Following a religious epiphany at age 50, he pursued spiritual education opportunities and was ordained as a rabbi in 2003. With a passion for stories, Rabbi Bruce later received ordination as a maggid, a traditional Jewish teacher and storyteller, from renowned maggid Yitzhak Buxbaum. Rabbi Bruce Forman has published dozens of scientific and professional articles and book chapters in psychology.Rabbi Bruce resides in South Florida, where he continues to practice psychotherapy and hypnosis. Rabbi Bruce enjoys serving the Jewish community by officiating at weddings, baby namings, bar mitzvahs, funerals, or other life cycle events. With his zeal for travel, Rabbi Bruce also serves as rabbi-at-sea on cruise ships.

Shoshannah Brombacher-Miller (Amsterdam 1959) is an academic, visual artist, author and maggidah (ordained Jewish preacher, story teller and spiritual guide). She studied Ancient Middle Eastern Linguistics, Culture and Codicology at Leyden University (Holland), and received a PhD in medieval Sephardic Hebrew poetry of the Portuguese-Jewish Community of Amsterdam. She taught and researched at the Free University of Berlin and in Jerusalem and currently lives in Brooklyn with her family. She never smoked, but is convinced that a spiritual approach helps overcome many manifestations of the yetzer hara, of which smoking is just one. Therefore, this book is interesting for smokers and non-smokers alike. Brombacher authored several academic and artistic books and illustrated even more. Her art is internationally recognized and delves deeply into Jewish lore and legends.