By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

The self-help trend is a popular one. It’s estimated that, in 2024, Americans spent more than $800 million on self-help books, with more than $45.7 billion being spent worldwide. That means many people are dissatisfied with all or part of their lives. Can Judaism play a role in helping them? Rabbi Shira Stutman certainly believes that Jews and non-Jews can live more meaningful and purposeful lives by following Jewish principles and practices. Her work “The Jewish Way to a Good Life: Find Happiness, Build Community, and Embrace Lovingkindness” (The Experiment) offers easy-to-read chapters filled with suggestions and practical advice on exactly how to do that. It also serves as an excellent review of Jewish principles. 
Stutman notes that, while every religious, cultural or spiritual practice has something to offer, Judaism is the one that resonates with her. Its practice also underlies all aspects of her life: “Judaism was never meant to be lived in the home or synagogue only – it was meant to be lived with every single breath you take. On the street, in the store, in your place of work, each of these locations are prime places to put what you learn in this book into action. If you take the sparks from most faith traditions – I happen to know Judaism, it happens to be mine – they can help elevate all your daily acts, from the way you commute in the morning to how you treat the people you see while you’re waiting at the bus stop, from whether to compost or recycle to the way you behave in the office or in your business.” While the author acknowledges that Judaism is not perfect, she chooses to focus on its positive aspects. 
The 10 chapters of “The Jewish Way to a Good Life” focus on a variety of Jewish concepts. Many of the Hebrew terms used don’t have a simple, direct translation to an English word, but Stutman uses examples to better explain their meaning. Chapters focus on celebration, the body, money, education, community, justice, resting and more. Her discussions of these concepts will resonate differently depending on the reader, but some that stood out for me include the following: 
When explaining chesed (acts of lovingkindness), Stutman notes that every act we do is important, even when we can’t guarantee the results will be positive. She mentions that while a person might not be able to change the world, they can affect the life of a particular individual, something Judaism considers important. Also under discussion is whether an action only counts if it is completely selfless. Stutman suggests that all our actions – selfish and selfless – are part of a larger ecosystem: “As Judaism understands it, when we do an act of [lovingkindness] the energy generated by that act will make the world better in a way that will benefit us. You generate a ‘credit,’ not just for you but for the whole world.” 
The author sees ahava (love) as an action verb, meaning that love needs not just to be felt, but acted upon. She also notes that, in order to be able to love others, we first must learn to love ourselves. Stutman then discusses a wide variety of types of love, including platonic, romantic and erotic love, in addition to addressing the biblical commandment to love the stranger.
When discussing the concept of happiness, she summarizes the quest for happiness by writing, “Happiness is the result of a life meaningfully lived... It is not happiness that leads to a meaningful life, it is a meaningful life that leads to happiness.”
Her discussion of community is one of the most challenging parts of her book. She noted that a community must come together for a common goal and periodically meet in person, meaning online communities will not serve. Diversity is important: many kinds of people must be made welcome. There should be no financial requirements that prevent people from participating. (The author does note the need for financial contributions for organizations, but those should not be used to prevent people who can’t afford them from joining.) Perhaps the most difficult idea is that, when part of a community, people must support even the members they don’t like.
Stutman notes five steps that are necessary for the pursuit of justice and offers a discussion of each. They include the idea that justice “centers the good of society over the individual good,” “is in service of the active and ongoing pursuit of justice,” “is based on facts, not hearsay or half-truths,” “demands compassion not only for your allies but also your adversaries,” and “is done as part of a community.”
The author recognizes that following this path is not always easy, but she sees it as worthwhile. Readers looking to create more meaning in their lives will find “The Jewish Way to a Good Life” helpful, even if they are not Jewish. However, the Jewish concepts may resonate more with those raised in the Jewish tradition. The book could serve as a text for a synagogue class or for groups seeking to better incorporate Judaism into their lives.