I hope this message finds you in good spirits and abundant peace. If we haven’t had the pleasure of connecting yet, allow me to introduce myself—I’m Lavinia, your Community Development Lead at OneSpirit.
I joined OneSpirit in March and have already seen what makes our interfaith community remarkable: its quiet strength and the connection we share. It’s like a vast web, linking us in ways that transcend our individual paths. Knowing that at any given moment, we can reach out, touch this web, and feel the support of our collective spirit.
Today, I’m reaching out with a special request from one of our own, Martin Nathanael. Martin has been working diligently on a project that holds great potential to enrich our community. He has reached out seeking the support and collaboration of fellow ministers and OneSpirit supporters. It’s a beautiful reminder of the interconnectedness that brings us all together.
Below, I’ve added Martin’s request. Please take a moment to read through it and see if/how you might offer your support and insight.
Dear Friends,
Some of you may remember Interfaith Minister Esther Aronsfeld who was ordained in 2006. I was one of her tutors during the two years of her training.
Early in 2023, Esther contacted me about a book she was writing on the Jewish festivals and asked if I would give her some feedback on the content. When I agreed, Esther sent me one chapter at a time, and I would return it with suggested changes. In all, I worked on 12 chapters: 2 introductory, 9 on festivals, and 1 on the Sabbath. A few months ago, I received word from one of her friends that Esther had entered the life beyond. She wondered if I knew anything about the book Esther was writing.
When I told her that I had 12 chapters in digital format, she was delighted, and we then decided, with a few others who had been close to Esther, to form a small group tasked to get Esther’s book published. My role would be to edit the material from what I already had, plus other notes and draft pages which were held by another one of her friends.
Esther has created a workbook on spiritual unfoldment based on the universal lessons that, irrespective of our faith or belief, we might all draw from the Jewish festivals. Whilst she gives attention to their historical context, her central aim is to draw out their inner meaning as the basis for inner transformation.
In her introductory chapter, Esther outlines the scope of her work:
“How the universal themes of each holiday reflect what is going on in our own lives. What are the spiritual tools we need to support our spiritual journey and fulfil our life purpose?”
If you would you like to learn more about the Jewish festivals, and how to include them in your spiritual life and ministry, this might be an excellent resource for you.
How could members of the OneSpirit community support our project?
- If you have personal recollections about Esther you would be happy to share.
- If you have artistic or graphic design skills these could be helpful for the front & back covers, as well as for one or two diagrams within the text.
- If you can direct us to sources of finance to help publication.
- If you could suggest relevant resources such as books or online articles that could be included in an appendix? (We already have some)
If you would like to get in touch, my contact details are below.
May all beings know their wholeness
Martin Nathanael,
Community Development Lead
