It's More Than A Red String
By MICHELLE BEARDEN mbearden@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 23, 2006

TAMPA - Carrollwood podiatrist Marc Katz and pop megastar Madonna have more in common than anyone would guess.
Though they don't know each other, one could call them soul mates.
Both embrace kabbalah, a mystic Jewish tradition of contemplation of divine secrets that some believe were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. From its hidden beginnings to its very public reincarnation on the celebrity scene, kabbalah has achieved that rare status of being both hip and holy.
The Material Girl, who wears a kabbalah-inspired red string bracelet and flashes Hebrew text on screens at her concerts, claims the ancient teachings have helped her find spiritual clarity. As for Katz, "it's given me some peace in an otherwise hectic life."
Madonna was just the first celebrity to catch kabbalah fever. Count Demi Moore and husband Ashton Kutcher, Roseanne Barr, David and Victoria Beckham, Britney Spears and Sandra Bernhard among other faithful followers.
In Hebrew, kabbalah means "to receive." Practitioners believe they can open themselves to a heightened sense of awareness if they master certain meditative techniques. The result: They can break out of the earthly world, experience the presence of God and help unlock the secrets of the universe.
The most important element of the practice is studying the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. Ultimately, the reader should learn how to decode it.
"Some people describe it as reading between the lines," says Phil Shenefelt, 62, a convert to Judaism and Tampa dermatologist. "It's about understanding the white part of the paper as well as the black.
"There's a lot of mental aspect to kabbalah. But it's really more about the heart."
According to Jewish law, only married men 40 and older are permitted to engage in kabbalah. Followers say that restriction had to do with the traditions of the time; today, the prohibition is largely ignored.
''Because kabbalah is so esoteric, and not centered in this world, it was believed that anyone who delved into this should have two feet planted firmly in the ground," says Rabbi Joel Wasser of Congregation Kol Ami. "It may be a law, but it's not on the same level as others, like eating pork."
With the media hype comes misinformation, so last year Wasser taught a course, "Kabbalah: You Asked for It, Now You Got It." And yes, women were allowed.
"Anything that brings people closer to God is a good thing," says the rabbi. "So if Madonna and all those other stars are wearing red bracelets and talking up kabbalah, what's the big deal? If it inspires Jewish and other spiritual people to take the next step and study the real texts, maybe even learn the Torah, then that's a good thing."
Such spiritual exploration has helped Katz reconnect with his Jewish roots. The 44-year-old doctor and his wife, Susan, his office manager, have two young children, three dogs and two cats. Juggling the demands of a busy practice and a high-energy home can be draining; with kabbalah, he says, he has learned how to find a healthy and calm balance.
"It's taught me how to see beauty in things or in people who just pass by," Katz reflects. "There's so much out there that's good for your soul, whether it's a flower or something somebody has said. For me, I've learned to take those simple things and make them holy."
Katz was reared in an Orthodox home, but while in college he began gravitating to a more personal brand of his faith.
He's found it in Or Ahavah ("Light of Love"), the only Jewish Renewal community in the Tampa Bay area. Following the tenets of the Jewish Renewal movement, Or Ahavah is for spiritual seekers who want to deepen their connection to God within Judaism. The group, founded five years ago by Phil's wife, Debrah Shenefelt, meets in members' homes, holding intimate and participatory services that include traditional prayers, kabbalistic meditation, visualization, chanting, song, music and storytelling.
"This community has given me an outlet to really get involved in my faith in a way that is real to me," Katz says. And his growing knowledge of kabbalah has "awakened my soul."
Craving A Connection
Such endorsements don't surprise Debrah Shenefelt, who is studying to be a rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement. With so much separation in the world, she says, "more people are craving a connection, a unity, a oneness." Being part of a close-knit community with a common goal of seeking God through creative means may be the answer for that population, she says.
She was once among the drifters. Raised in a conservative home that "wasn't very Jewish," Shenefelt began seeking meaningful ways to practice her faith. With the blessings of her rabbi, she launched the first creative service at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Tampa; a few years ago, she branched off with Or Ahavah, which includes affiliated and nonaffiliated Jews of diverse backgrounds.
Now she feels acceptance and encouragement among like-minded thinkers.
"Through nontraditional means, I came to love our traditions," Shenefelt says. "Kabbalah brought me to the Torah. I'm back home."
New students of kabbalah need to look for three traits in a teacher, she says. The person should be educated in traditional text, able to communicate that authentic text in a clear and concise manner, and able to treat the information with reverence, respect and love.
The 'Divine Blueprint'
This weekend, Shenefelt brings a teacher to Tampa who she says meets all three criteria. Melinda Ribner, a spiritual psychotherapist and author of several books on kabbalah, will give two programs on kabbalistic teachings and Jewish meditation.
Ribner, who studied under the late, legendary Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and received a nonrabbinical ordination to teach Jewish meditation, says such knowledge can only benefit a person seeking a more spiritual life.
"If we understand the divine blueprint for the world, and if we know what our soul consists of and what our body needs, then we can reach for the highest good," she says. "The information is not only interesting, but practical."
And it's not just for Jews, Ribner says. While kabbalah is an integral part of Judaism, its teachings are universal. She says some Christian groups have adopted their own version of kabbalah to fit into their ideology.
And she also envisions another unlikely group taking an interest in the teachings.
"Kabbalah offers answers to some of the most basic questions of life. And some of those are extremely technical and scientific," Ribner says. "If scientists were to study those mystical texts, it just might assist them in their own work."

Conditions Treated by Dr. Katz, Tampa Podiatrist

Marc A. Katz, DPM
508 S. Habana Ave., Suite 200
Tampa, FL 33609 (813)875-0555

Dr. Katz is highly trained in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the foot and ankle. Personalized treatment programs are developed to satisfy individual patient needs.

Wound and Ulcer Healing
Diabetic Care
Limb Salvage Surgery
Diagnostic Ultrasound
Diagnostic Flouroscan (Low Radiation Real-time X-ray)
Same Day Custom Inserts (Arch Supports)
Physical Therapy
Infection Treatment
Wound Care with Hyperbaric Oxygen
Advanced Skin Graft Substitutes
State-of-the-Art Bone Infection Treatment
Neuropathy Treatment
Pain Management
Hospital Consults
Special Braces for Arthritis
Custom Wound Healing Devices
Diabetic Shoes
Workers Compensation

Heel and Arch Pain
Foot and Ankle Pain
Nerve Pain and Neuromas
Foot Fatigue
Fungal Nail and Athlete's Foot
Ingrown Toenails
Wounds and Ulcers
Infections of the Foot, Ankle & Leg
Bunions
Hammertoes
Sweating Feet and Foot Odor
Diabetic Care
Swollen Feet, Ankles or Legs
Arthritis
Sprains and Strains
Fractures
Injuries
Foot Burning & Numbness
Corns and Calluses
Warts
Poor Circulation

Dr Marc Katz: Tampa Podiatrist at Advanced Podiatry

Dr Marc Katz: Tampa Podiatrist at Advanced Podiatry