Eckstein shares details of her life and home in Israel and describes a spiritually enriching culinary ‘way of life’ in her cookbook Spiritual Cooking with Yael.

CHICAGO, OKLAHOMA, USA, November 11, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- International Fellowship of Christian and Jews Senior Vice President and Author Yael Eckstein welcomes readers into her personal life and home in the Holy Land, an Israel in crisis, while sharing beautiful ways to bring the family together with a new culinary ‘way of life’ in “Spiritual Cooking with Yael,” a cookbook that combines unique, healthy, quick kosher recipes from Eckstein’s home in Israel, with her rich spiritual heritage.

“I was inspired to write this cookbook when I realized that so many of my friends who are parents with little kids would constantly approach dinner time with anxiety and dread. ‘The kids have to eat, again?!’ I would often hear them joke,” shares Eckstein. “Young parents juggle so much – between work, house, kids, etc. – and they just wanted some time for themselves. It was only when I opened my eyes to my friends who were stressed out and falling apart that I realized my approach to cooking is unique and can really help people to cope with the ‘rush hour madness’ of meal time. The time that I take to cook is time that I take for myself. I focus my thoughts on my children, my dreams, my prayers, and my hopes. I get into a meditative state that cooking is enjoyable and fulfilling. I also believe that my food comes out more delicious because it is saturated with prayers, and the people who eat my food feel happy and fulfilled because of the energies that were put into them. This cookbook is not just a book with easy, delicious, kosher recipes from Israel; it is a way of life!”

Eckstein hopes to inspire readers of all ages and families to enjoy the art of cooking and eating, and to realize that every moment can be lived up to holiness through proper intention. “I pray that these lessons of faith, happiness, and connection to God will carry on beyond the act of cooking and seep into every mundane act throughout the day,” shares Eckstein. “Through the easy, delicious, and kosher recipes, I hope that people will realize that food which is healthy can also be yummy – and it doesn’t need to be very difficult to make. All of the recipes in my book are very easy and quick to make, yet they are loaded with flavor. The recipes from my cookbook are the same recipes that I use to cook for my family and guests.”

About the cookbook:

Do you look at cooking as a purely mundane responsibility and chore? Do you wish that you could integrate spirituality, reflection, and personal growth into this daily act of cooking that we spend so much time and energy on?

Most people do not realize that there does not need to be a separation between physical and spiritual actions. Any physical act can be transformed into a spiritual experience with the proper thoughts and intention. In this book you will get the simple and healthy recipes to all of my favorite dishes, and learn how to integrate bible verses, teachings, and meditations into the seemingly mundane act of cooking. After experiencing this new spiritual cooking experience, not only will cooking become an enjoyable and meaningful experience for you, but the food that you make will be embodied with good and holy energies. All of the people eating your delicious, nutritious, and spiritually rich food will surely be coming back for more!

“Yael's cookbook is nourishing to soul, spirit and stomach. The recipes offer a variety of tasty and healthy alternatives to try. By utilizing healthy ingredients in recipes that are simple and easy to follow, Yael combines her passion for foods that God gave us for the nourishment of our bodies with the Scriptures of the Bible to [nourish] our soul and spirit.” –Leah on Amazon.com

Published by Winters Publishing Group, Spiritual Cooking with Yael has been in the top 20 cookbooks in its category on Amazon since before its release and is available through bookstores nationwide, from the publisher at www.winterspublishingroup.com, or by visiting barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com.

About the author:

Yael Eckstein was born in Chicago and made aaliya to Israel with husband in 2005, with the dream of returning to her roots. She now lives in a small northern Israel town with her husband and three children.

Eckstein cherishes her life in Israel with her family, despite the crisis the state is currently is facing. “Here in Israel we are used to living in crisis mode. The State of Israel is only 66 years old and we’ve been fighting for our survival since the day of our birth,” says Eckstein. “It is not always easy explaining to my children why we need to build a bomb shelter or why there are soldiers at the entrance to every building in Israel (to make sure terrorists don’t get in), but the truth is, there is no where I would rather be.”

“The feeling of brotherhood in Israel is beyond anything I have ever seen in my extensive travels of the world. Instead of teaching my children not to speak to strangers – as I was taught growing up in America – I teach my children that if they need anything, they can ask anyone,” shares Eckstein. “When my daughter falls at the park another mother that she doesn’t even know runs to give her knee a kiss, and when my son is hungry on a bus and I have no food with me, a stranger will give him a fruit. When there is a terror attack in Israel, everyone runs towards the attack – not away from it – because they want to help the injured. Here in Israel the crises can be daunting, but we are in it together, and we are fighting for a country that represents freedom, holiness, and values in God’s promised land; that is certainly worth fighting for!”

As a professional, Eckstein is the Senior Vice President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an expert on Jewish-Christian relations, a world renowned speaker, and a spiritual seeker. She is constantly humbled, honored in her work with the IFCJ, sharing, “The most rewarding moments… is visiting the people that we help. When I visit holocaust survivors in Israel who have empty refrigerators and I bring them a food box on behalf of Christians and Jews around the world, I am moved to tears. When I have the privilege of bringing orphans in Israel clothing on behalf of Fellowship friends, I am truly inspired. What I see happening here in Israel, thanks to my father Rabbi Eckstein and the IFCJ’s tireless work, is that the mentality is shifting; for the first time in history, Jews are seeing Christians as friends instead of enemies. The work of IFCJ is historic, prophetic, and everything I do with the organization is truly rewarding.”

When asked what it has been like growing up with a father that is a famous rabbi, Eckstein replied, “My father…made a great effort to separate work and home life, so I never felt like I had a famous rabbi for a father. My father always traveled a lot and spent long hours at the office, but the moment he walked into our home he was simply ‘Abba’ (Hebrew word for Dad). He had an amazing way of leaving the stress and exhaustion at the office, and he would always come home with energy and love. I feel blessed to have had a wonderful childhood full of love, appreciation, and comfort from both of my parents.”

In regards to Spiritual Cooking with Yael, her passion stems from a love of cooking healthy, simple, delicious food for her family and dozens of weekly Shabbat guests. She believes that there is no such thing as a purely physical act and therefore yearns to transforms all of her physical actions into a meaningful spiritual experience.

Eckstein says her faith doesn’t just play a ‘role’ in her life, but it is integrated into everything she does and is. “Everything I do revolves around my faith. Judaism has a beautiful concept that in order to make something holy, it needs to be separated from the mundane. Therefore, my life revolves around sanctifying this physical world through intention and action,” shares Eckstein. “I only eat Kosher food, I dress in a modest way, I try not to speak badly about people, and to think pure thoughts. I am very blessed that even my work revolves around doing good deeds and bridging God’s children, Christians and Jews, in the vision of Psalm 133 ‘How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in peace’.”

Visit Yael on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/YaelEckstein?ref=br_tf

For more information, please contact Brittany Fisher, publicist, at (405) 440-3370 or send an email to bfisher@keymgc.com.

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