Spiritual Illumination in the Modern World

Dr Jeffrey (Yoseph) Cummings was born in Glasgow, Scotland, UK in 1955 but hails from a combination of a Litvish and Chassidic background. The latter being the Izhbitz-Radziner dynasty known for their unique Hashkafa (philosophy), which stresses the spiritual potential of every Jew and the concept that all is in the hands of Heaven (Shamayim). Two strands of thought that pervade the present book. A graduate (BSc) with Honours in Pharmacology and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Dr Cummings spent his scientific career, spanning forty years, at three different UK Universities and two different UK Hospitals - including the largest Cancer Hospital in Europe. There he was involved in cutting edge research in a bid to develop new and more effective therapies to treat this terrible disease and reduce the debilitating side effects of existing drugs.During that period, he published over 180 peer reviewed scientific papers and edited two books. The recipient of two honorific scientific awards becoming the chairperson of the UK National Cancer Translational Research Network QA Group and as an elective member of the executive committee of the British Measurement and Testing Association. For Dr Cummings Science, while very important, always took backstage to family life, the observance of Judaism and learning Torah. Over a period ten years he learned Daf Hayomi in his car as he commuted fifty- four miles each way to his place of work. A project SEED tutor in Glasgow, he also founded an evening Kollel for Baal Habatim- Kollel Rabbi Akiva. After moving to Manchester, he pursued a similar course of action, setting up a Tanya Shiur, a Likkutei Moran Shiur as well as being heavily involved in the formation of an evening Gemara Chaburah.