Hello Nina!  I had dinner at a friend's this weekend with Rabbi Fisdel -- I love the way he combines complete down-to-earthiness with high theological experience.  He was the manager of an army surplus store in Chicago which was across the street from the law firm I worked in during the 80s; I used to wander into it from time to time.  We have pretty different theological perspectives, I think.  I told the story at dinner how the most wonderful discovery for me was "Anatman," the Buddhist teaching that we don't in fact have an "Atman," the Hindu word for "soul."  The Buddhists teach long, delicate introspection during meditation to look for one's inmost soul -- the final, last discovery on this quest is that we don't have one.  We're just a hodge-podge, an agglomeration of ingredients of the whole rest of the universe.  At first this seems deflating, but actually it's inspiring and wonderful -- we don't have to worry what will happen to our souls when we die (there's no such thing), and we lose every vestige of individuality and can merge with the whole universe.  Rabbi Fisdel seemed sceptical about this idea.  I was amazed that such a subversive, radical, "modern" idea could form the core of Buddhism, such an ancient and venerable tradition.  I have the same reaction when I read Maimonides.  Take care, Sidney