The Young Lords; who originated as a Chicago street gang fighting gentrification and unfair evictions in Puerto Rican neighborhoods; burgeoned into a national political movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s; with headquarters in New York City and other centers in Philadelphia; Boston; Los Angeles; and elsewhere in the northeast and southern California. Part of the original Rainbow Coalition with the Black Panthers and Young Patriots; the politically radical Puerto Ricans who constituted the Young Lords instituted programs for political; social; and cultural change within the communities in which they operated.The Young Lords offers readers the opportunity to learn about this vibrant organization through their own words and images; collecting an array of their essays; journalism; photographs; speeches; and pamphlets. Organized topically and thematically; this volume highlights the Young Lords’ diverse and inventive activism around issues such as education; health care; gentrification; police injustice and gender equality; as well as self-determination for Puerto Rico.In recovering these rare written and visual materials; Darrel Enck-Wanzer has given voice to the lost chorus of the Young Lords; while providing an indispensable resource for students; scholars; activists; and others interested in learning about this influential grassroots “street political†organization.
#1274175 in Books 2005-04-20 2005-04-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .75 x 6.00l; 1.20 #File Name: 0814331815296 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A fine pairingBy David MoyalFrom a chef's point of view looking for meaning into the ritual foods we prepare; this book is an indispensable source. Sifting through kabbalistic works to reference the mystical relations with food is not an easy task that Dr. Hecker makes very digestible.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Ki Tov: The Mystical Companions eat as they learnBy Jeff ShapiroThe day I looked; .com referenced 63;954 items relevant to `food'; fourteen of them dealt with eating as a mystical undertaking. Joel Hecker's Mystical Bodies; Mystical Meals is not just an introduction to issues of food preparation and eating in Medieval Kabbalah; it opens the door to a wider; carefully studied understanding of one segment of Jewish mysticism. Dr. Hecker has been well-trained in academic appreciation of the relationship between bodily and mystical adventures. After a prologue dealing with food and food-laws in pre-medieval Judaism; he shows how much of Kabbalah; especially the Zohar; is effected by dining. Idealized foods; mystical satiation; and etiquette are among the issues of focus; the conversations of the Zoharic companions; and their eating practices; are the data from which generalizations are drawn.The study became more interesting and clearer for me as he approached the possibility of exerting influence on the Creator; as it were. Following the quotation "Blessing does not rest on an empty place"; he investigates that possibility; known as theurgy. Dr. Hecker suggests that talismanic theurgy; the use of a material object to bring Divine energies into the world; is most relevant in the study of pre-; para-; and post-prandial Zoharic meetings; conversations; and illuminations.Since it is possible to prepare and eat food only for the sake of the body; the author is careful to differentiate this approach from the mystical intentions described in the Zohar and other sources; and yet to show how important the body is for an understanding of the mystical mission. It has been argued by Gershon Scholem; and others; that; in mystical pursuits; the "craving for food and sleep or anything else is annihilated." Again; this book shows how that concept is not entirely; or perhaps not even generally true in Jewish mysticism. Mystical Bodies; Mystical Meals is not for the absolute beginner; one would want to be already comfortable with medieval studies; or with cultural approaches to food and meals; or with mysticism generally; or; more helpfully; with Jewish mysticism particularly. Given that; however; and a willingness to dig deeply into what becomes a fascinating; careful review; the book is highly recommended.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A fascinating scholarly work - accessible to all...By CustomerIn "Mystical Bodies; Mystical Meals;" Joel Hecker has written a fascinating work on eating in Medieval Kabbalah. Since the uninitiated may not be aware of the central role played by food in the Kabbalah; it suffices to point out that the Zohar itself opens by drawing an analogy between Knesset Yisrael and the Kiddush cup. So Hecker's book goes to the very heart of the Kabbalah.The book is meant primarily as a meticulous work of academic scholarship; and so the novice reader may find it difficult going at first; in this case it would be helpful to consult an introduction to the Kabbalah; such as that found in Daniel Matt's "Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment."And yet the charm of this book is that its theme - food - makes it accessible to all. For example; as an observant Jew; I found that the insights of the Kabbalah into common practices deeply enriched my own observance. To cite just one example - the somewhat perplexing practice of eating a festive meal on the eve of the Yom Kippur fast - the book quotes the Zohar as suggesting that this may have the function of making the fast more challenging - enabling us to better fulfill the Torah's admonition to "afflict your souls".In short; this book is to be heartily recommended; not just for the scholar of the Kabbalah; but also for all those who are interested in the role of food in Jewish practice and thought.
