The Secret That is Not a Secret is the first book of fiction by Jay Michaelson, winner of the National Jewish Book Award. A collection of interconnected short stories, it invites you into a hidden world of faith, desire, transgression, and revelation. From a Hasidic woman tormented by her husband’s long beard to a closeted […]

Winner of the 2022 National Jewish Book Award Click here to purchase   “Jacob Frank, one of the most unexpected, shocking, original, and misunderstood figures in Jewish history, stirred up the Jewish world from the margins of heresy to the center of broad messianic movement that engaged thousands of followers in the mid-eighteen century, by […]

Ten Years on the Slippery Slopes of Jewish Spirituality, Postmodern Buddhism, and Other Mystical Heresies Order here Today, Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson is a rabbi, a well-known meditation teacher, and a weekly columnist read by a quarter million readers per month. But not long ago, Jay was a young spiritual seeker, pursuing mysticism (and even […]

  is is a unique book of heretical spiritual poetry by the award-winning journalist Jay Michaelson, writing here under his Hebrew name, Yaakov Moshe.  It aspires to sit on the spiritual bookshelf alongside (or maybe just beneath) Mary Oliver, Gary Snyder, Rumi, and Rilke.  It is mystical and profane, personal and universal. Comprised of four […]

  The Gate of Tears is a beautifully written, transformative book. Jay Michaelson guides us, instead of denying, avoiding, explaining away or resisting sadness, to go right into the heart of it. There we find open space, true love of life, and, perhaps most redeeming, one another. ~ Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness   Purchase […]

  “Redefining Religious Liberty: The Covert Campaign Against Civil Rights” is a report published in March 2013 by Political Research Associates, where Jay Michaelson served as a Religious Liberty Fellow. This report, authored by Michaelson, serves as a primer for all interested in the many intricacies surrounding the religious liberty debates. With fairness and precision, […]

  Evolving Dharma is a “next generation” dharma book, published by North Atlantic Books in 2013.  It tells the story of how American Buddhism evolved into its present forms, and where it might be headed next. It also describes the evolution of one’s personal contemplative path, based on Michaelson’s own years of meditation, including multiple […]

Purchase here: The myth that the Bible forbids homosexuality — the myth of “God versus Gay” — is behind some of the most divisive and painful conflicts of our day. In this courageous and erudite book, Jay Michaelson shows that not only does the Bible not prohibit same-sex intimacy, the vast majority of its teachings […]

  Published in 2009, when Jay Michaelson was named to the “Forward 50” list of influential American Jews, Everything is God was the first major book of Jewish theology and philosophy of his generation. “Nondual” simply means “not-two” — but its true meaning is far deeper. Often it refers to East and South Asian religions […]

  Another Word for Sky, published in 2007, is the first collection of poetry by Jay Michaelson.     Praise and Reviews  Jay Michaelson is a poet of multitudes. His gift is not just his enviable ability attain the poetic voice very much his own, but also the skill to use this voice in poems […]

God in Your Body is about embodied spiritual practice: how to experience the deep truths of reality in, and through, your body.  God in Your Body integrates the insights of mystical and traditional Judaism, Buddhist and mindfulness meditation practices, and a cosmopolitan, contemporary sensibility. The book is the first comprehensive treatment of the body in […]

Az Yashir Moshe is a “bencher,” a book of songs and blessings. Initially edited by Jay Michaelson and published in 2001, a second edition was published in 2009 by Ktav Publications, featuring newer, easier-to-read type face and customization available for weddings and other occasions. Dedicated to the memory of Matt Eisenfeld (SY ’93) and infused […]

Jay Michaelson has appear been featured in many Anthologies including: Climate Change Engineering, Exploring the Edge Realms of Consciousness, Queer Religion, Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion & Spirituality, Best Gay Stories 2010, Making Prayer Real: Leading Jewish Spiritual Voices on Why Prayer Is Difficult and What to Do About It, and Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible.