The Missing Handle

“Rabbi Eisen has marshalled a thousand generations of wisdom together with his and his family’s very personal encounter with tragedy to craft a compelling reflection on sorrow, grief, and, above all, faith. Only people of profound faith can confess to periods of doubt and only rationalists with heart will see meaning and purpose where others see only coincidence and happenstance. If you have ever been lost in the shadowed Valley of Death, Rabbi Eisen’s experience will shine some light on those shadows.”


—Perry Raphael Rank, rabbi emeritus, Midway Jewish Center





“Rabbi Eisen has given us all a gift of allowing himself to be fully human and vulnerable in offering authentic reflection on living before, during, and after the death of his son Ricky. He invites us to allow doubt as our first step towards faith, normalizing the wrestling process and celebrating multiple competing messy feelings. This invitation allows us to witness all the parts of ourselves, welcome them all in, and work towards living in line with our values while listening to our hearts.”


—Autumn Wiley-Hill, clinical psychologist





“I have been honored to be a friend of Rabbi Eisen for many years. While we have served in different faith traditions, we have sought to respect, understand, and learn from each other. This book speaks to people of all faiths who grieve, and we all need help to grieve well. I hope you’ll read this with eyes of faith to discover powerful truths that will not only help you to mourn, but find life through the grieving.”


—Glen Elliott, campus pastor, Pantano Christian Church