'Birth,' By Israeli Businesswoman & Philanthropist, to be Published in World's Largest Muslim Nation

TEL AVIV, Israel and LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- In what is considered a remarkable cross-cultural development in the publishing world, Birth: When the Spiritual and the Material Come Together, the internationally bestselling new vision of the future by Israeli businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison, has been acquired for translation and publication in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country.  

Publication rights have been acquired by Gramedia, one of Indonesia's leading publishing groups, which will also oversee translation.  Tracking the book from its initial release last year in Israel, the publisher noted the widespread interest sparked by Birth after its publication in the United States in November, 2009, and made its move to cross socio-political boundaries and secure rights to publish in Indonesia.  

"I am happy and excited about the publication of Birth – When the Spiritual and the Material Come Together in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country," Arison said. "The book's central idea is that each and every one of us can bring about change – each in his or her own way. This idea, which crosses borders, religions and languages, resonates everywhere.

"I believe that in order to attain peace in the world, each one of us must attain peace within himself and with his surroundings. Every person must connect with his inner essence – that is how the circles will expand throughout the world. I very much hope that all of us will take responsibility and act, leading to change and a better future, and thus we can achieve true peace.  The book will be translated into many languages for readers all over the world."

Birth was published in Israel by Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir in June, 2009, and quickly became a bestseller. It was published in English in the United States by Phoenix Books.  In it, Arison, recently named the most influential person in Israel, reveals the path she followed in the realms of both business and spirit, and imparts her insights about the vital connection between the two.  It is both a tale of her fascinating personal journey and an outline of her vision for a global future.  

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Indonesia is home to the world's largest Muslim population and is the world's fourth most populous nation, after China, India and the United States. Made up of 17,508 islands, Indonesia covers an area of about 740,000 square miles along the equator in Southeast Asia. It has the region's largest economy and is considered one of the world's most rapidly developing markets.

SOURCE The Arison Group