From Illness to Exodus

“Had Jonathan Weinkle shared the depth of his Jewish insights about the Passover Haggadah we might say dayenu (it would have been enough). Had he applied those insights to the healing work of the medical profession, we might also have said dayenu. Had he compassionately reminded us that we all are on journeys from illness to recovery, we might also have said dayenu. That he instead followed the wisdom of the book of Proverbs that a braided threefold chord (in this instance of healing, knowledge, and applied medical ethics) is of greatest value accounts for why we are the beneficiaries of this remarkable book From Illness to Exodus. The ‘dance’ of these three sources moving in and about one another is dazzling.”


—Jeffrey Schein, senior consultant for Jewish education, The Mordecai Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood





“Jonathan Weinkle describes his Haggadah as a ‘Passover Meditation on Empathy, Health, and Healing.’ In actuality, Dr. Weinkle offers reassuring and insightful ‘Passover Medication’ for the souls of all those who are (or will be) patients, as well as for caregivers, and for our social fabric. This significant work provides a powerful illumination of the seder journey from degradation to dignity and shows how its lessons are directly applicable to each of our lives as we strive for wholeness within the reality of our mortality.”


—Danny Schiff, Gefsky Community Scholar, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh





“Dr. Jonathan Weinkle shares deeply of himself in this profoundly personal reflection on the meaning of the Haggadah. While this collection is framed through the lens of a medical provider (and dare I say healer), even non-clinicians will find plenty of food for thought. After all, sooner or later we are all touched in some way by illness and the healthcare system, whether it be personally or vicariously. I am sure that the thoughts collected here will provide ample fodder for hours of discussion around the seder table, to be enjoyed by all!” 


—Elisha Waldman, MD, attending physician, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, NHS Foundation Trust





“Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an incredibly well-read, thoughtful and reflective physician who brings to life the seder in an engaging, interactive book that the reader will pick up again and again, finding new gems and learning more about oneself each time.”


—Lynne Williams, MD, executive director, Southwest PA Area Health Education Center