Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Growing up in an Orthodox Jewish home where his mother thought he might be the Messiah while his father was convinced he was a luftmensch (air head), Rami Shapiro has had only one idea in his entire life: alles iz Gott, everything is God, the Happening happening as all happening.  

He earned rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College in order to preach this idea in synagogues, and a PhD in contemporary Judaism from Union Graduate School in order to teach this idea in universities. Along the way he’s taken Bodhisattva vows in Zen Buddhism, become a 32° Mason in the Scottish Rite, been initiated into the Ramakrishna Order of Vedanta Hinduism, joined the Theosophical Society, published three dozen books, has had his poems included in prayer books and hymnals around the English speaking world, and has walked the 12 Steps of Overeaters Anonymous more times than he can count.   

His books fall into three categories: Biblical translations that make the Bible say what he wished it would say; spiritual explorations that make spirituality all about practice rather than feelings; and recovery that reveals the central addiction of all humans—playing God—and the way to free oneself from it: realize God is playing you. 

Rami currently co-directs the One River Foundation devoted to sharing the Perennial Wisdom at the mystic heart of the world’s religions.