I'm God, You're Not: Observations on Organized Religion & Other Disguises of the Ego

"For most of us, only at the end of a lifetime do we begin to understan that even our life stories are sacred and that God has been involved all along."---from "The Life of Torah"

"The learning," Lawrence Kushner writes, "it goes on forever." In this surprising, witty, and engaging collection of stories and provocative thought, Kushner shares some of what he's gleaned in his own spiritual search and through his experiences as a rabbi, teacher, husband, father, grandfather and friend. He draws from the wisdom of great spiritual thinkers of ancient and contemporary times as well as some unsuspecting teachings of a cabbie, a congregant, a child---a flock of pelicans. With profound insight and a generous dose of humor, he inspires you to revisit your own moments of holiness, community, and family from a new perspective. "It's not about you," he wisely instructs. "It's about God."

Lawrence Kushner, author, lecturer, spiritual leader, is regarded as one of the most creative religious thinkers and writers in America. A commentator on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, he has focused us on spiritual renewal with wisdom and humor.

Throug his books and lectures, people of every faith and background have found inspiration and new strength for spiritual search and growth. It has been said that some spiritual leaders blend religion and psychology to help us walk better on the ground, but Lawrence Kushner draws on the wisdom of the mystics to help us dance better on the ceiling.

Kushner's acclaimed books include God Was in This Place & I, i Did Not Know: Finding Self, Spirituality and Ultimate Meaning; Honey from the Rock: An Easy Introduction to Jewish Mysticism; Invisible Lines of Connection: Sacred Stories of the Ordinary; The Book of Letters: A Mystical Hebrew Alphabet; Jewish Spirituality: A Brief introduction for Christians; and In God's Hands, an inspiring fable for children, with Gary Schmidt (all Jewish Lights; for more of his books, see p. ii).

Kushner served as rabbi at Congregation Beth El in Sudbury, Massachusetts, for almost thirty years; he is currently the Emanu-El scholar at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco, and an adjunct faculty member at Hebrew Union College---Jewish Institute of Religion. He is fascinated by graphic design and computers (designing most of his Jewish Lights books). He enjoys Mozart, hanging around sailboats, and making his three granddaughters giggle.