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This book shares a lived experience of loss, hope, meaning, and spiritual courage in Judaism. Pessah’s book is rooted in honesty and compassion, emphasizing the need to meet life as it is—without denial—while cultivating meaning, connection, and joy.
All humans will experience trials, tribulations, or traumas, and Pessah tells the story of losing her twenty-year-old son to brain cancer. While some of us will have more intense challenges than others, there is no doubt that being human is hard, always. This book addresses this universal human condition from the perspective of Jewish spirituality.
Through Jewish texts and teachings, Rabbi Amy engages with the big questions—suffering, responsibility, purpose, and God—with depth, accessibility and emotional intelligence. Full of personal anecdote, as well as lessons learned from the lived experiences of others, The Wholeness of a Broken Heart honors brokenness as part of the human experience and helps the reader to find joy, meaning, purpose, and connection.
“If you have ever been bereaved—and who hasn’t?—you need this. Digging deep into her own experience of profound grief, she emerges with a heartfelt exploration of the path forward. Reading this book feels like being in Rabbi Amy’s study, hearing lessons learned from her experience traveling this road toward resilience, meaning, relationship, and renewed joy. This is one to share with your family, friends, book club and congregation, complete with discussion questions.” —Rabbi Dr. Ron Wolfson is Fingerhut Professor of Education, American Jewish University, author of Relational Judaism
“The Wholeness of a Broken Heart is a compassionate and wise guide to navigating the challenges of being human, blending spiritual insight with deeply lived experience. This is a book written by someone who has lived its teachings and lovingly invites readers to do the same.” —Dr. Michelle Pearce, clinical psychologist; program director, Integrative Health and Wellness, University of Maryland, Baltimore
“This book is like sitting down with a beloved friend to connect deeply about what it means to be human. Filled with insight, Rabbi Pessah shares her journey through grief and healing with heartfelt stories and compassionate Jewish wisdom.” —Rabbi Caryn Aviv, PhD, author of Unlearning Jewish Anxiety
“As a chaplain who works with grief and loss daily, this is a must read. The author blends grief theory with real life experience. She shares her own grief journey with honesty—honoring her pain and struggle while also recognizing the beauty and blessings that surround her. The book is filled with insight and grace, offering examples on how one can journey through heartache, to find hope, joy, and resiliency. We so often graze through life busy or distracted by many things. This author prompts readers to pause and search for the meaning in each moment. She reminds us that while life can be unpredictable and hard, we can choose how we respond.” —Chaplain Misti Johnson-Arce, MDiv, BCC, ACPE Educator
A spiritual seeker since childhood, Amy Grossblatt Pessah has sought both experiential and intellectual paths on her quest for a deeper understanding to life’s most pressing questions such as “Why are we here?” and “What is our purpose?” Her journey includes receiving rabbinic ordination and a master’s degree in Jewish education. Additionally, Amy is a trained spiritual director, energy healer, and has completed 400 hours of chaplaincy hospice training. She serves as a rabbi, author, and spiritual guide, working in various synagogues and Jewish institutions across South Florida and throughout the country.