SHLOCK ROCK RULES!!!!!
Lenny Solomon and Etan G rocked Omaha this past Shabbos!!!
Omaha, Nebraska was the first stop on the Shlock Rock Winter Wonderland Tour of 2014.
We kicked off the Shabbos with a community wide Friday night dinner at the shul. Lenny did some hits off of his Album Shabbos in Liverpool - Lenny's album where he put all of Shabbos davening to Beatles Tunes.
On Shabbos we had a very special episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos morning talk show.
Omaha Singer Song writer Karen Javitch came on the show and 11 year old Danny Denninberg sang two hits off of her children's album - Who Knows One. The songs were great, and the crowd was blown away with Danny's talent. That kid is going places!
Then we had Dr. Eyal Margalit and Aryeh Epstein come on the show. With the help of Dr. Howard Gendelman they have organized a med center chaburah that meets every Thursday at the Nebraska Medical Center. For the last year they have been learning messechet Megillah and they recently finished. They came on the show and taught us a bit about what thy learned, and they sponsored the Kiddush after the show where we enjoyed their special cholent that they personally prepared before Shabbos and they made a formal siyum for us all to celebrate.
Next, I welcomed on Dan Gilbert. Dan was one of the winners of last year's TOYO award and he was the one who nominated me for this year. He told us a bit about the award and how he was proud to be the Jewish recipient last year and how it demonstrates to the greater Omaha community the important impact of the Jewish community and how it contributes to the diverse tapestry of our city.
After Dan we brought out Imac and the Zoester (Imac is actually on vacation so Elinor filled in again for her this week). After their segment they started laying down a beat doing that hip cup banging thing that the Macabeats made popular in their dror yikrah video. As they laid down the beat the crowd started clapping and then Etan G - the Jewish rapper made his dramatic entrance and started rapping his hit song "Time." It was amazing!
Etan got in the seat and told us a bit about how he got into Jewish rapping and the impact that it has had on Jewish kids. Then we introduced the one and only LENNY SOLOMON!!!!
What an incredible honor for me to welcome Lenny Solomon to Good Shabbos Nebraska! To date the most famous person that I had on the show was Boris Gulko, which was a thrilling and unforgettable experience, but Lenny was different. Besides the fact that Lenny and Shlock Rock are known throughout the world, I am from the generation of Jewish kids that Lenny had a profound influence upon. For me personally this episode was something that I will never forget!
Lenny spoke about the origins of Shlock Rock and then - as we always do on Good Shabbos Nebraska - we went straight to the parshah. We talked about how the Torah says that the purpose of the ten plagues was so that Pharoah, the Egyptians, the Jews, and the whole world for all of history should know that there is only one God.
Lenny pointed out that is the major theme of the entire Tanach, and it is the central message that the Jewish people have been charged with sharing with the world.
Lenny's latest project is a rock opera that he composed called "Daniel of Babylon." Daniel of Babylon tells the story of the Biblical Daniel, his trials and tribulations as the first recorded diaspora Jew. It also tells how throughout the story we see again and again how the world leaders came to recognize that Hashem is the one true God.
Lenny has already finished Daniel of Babylon and he is looking for a few more investors to get the project playing on Broadway. I think that this could be the next Joseph and the Technicolored Dream Coat. If you are interested in investing please reach out to Lenny on his website.
At Kiddush we had the siyum and after Kiddush Lenny answered some questions and sang some songs off of his Shabbos in Liverpool album.
After Shabbos Lenny and Etan G rocked the house with a Shlock Rock concert! They packed the shul and they sold 100 CDs after the show!
They pulled out all the hits! We started the concert with his classic "Eliyahu" to lead into Havdalah.
After Havdallah he pulled out "Havdallah! (Have a sniff see the light have a sip)
They sang classic hits like "Everyone knows its Rashi" "we got a strong desire" and of course "Minyan man"
Etan G pounded out Motzi and Yo Yo Yarmulka!
They did a Hebrew set with Lenny's classic Hinei Matov, Am Yisrael Chai, and some modern Israeli hits where he brought on our Israeli Shaliach Eliad Eliyahu to sing.
He did a holiday set where they played "Tu Bishvat" "Achashveirosh" I can't get no Humintashen" and "let's get this seder started!"
He did some Beatles hits, and closed with "To Unite All Jews."
Over the last ten years I saw bunch of concerts from some veteran bands including U2, Bon Jovi, and of course They Might Be Giants. And yet last night's concert was by far and away the best concert I have seen since probably the last time that I saw Shlock Rock!
Lenny Solomon is like a fine wine. he gets better with age. He is to my generation what Shlomo Carlebach was to the generation before and what Yoseele Rosenblatt was to his generation. The best part of last night was to see all of the kids, including mine, who are now second generation Shlockers.
Judaism has a hard time competing with the secular culture, but thanks to Lenny we have tools to bring Torah and mitzvoth front and center to our children. He elevates the secular culture and uses it as an ally to teach Torah rather than view it as an adversary. He makes Judaism fun and exciting, and hje makes being Jewish cool!
My father bought Shlock Rock cassettes that we played non-stop in the car when I was a kid and they had a profound influence on me.
Last night I had the privilege to buy them for my children on CD and to purchase some downloads so that I can provide the same inspiring Jewish experience to my kids that my parents gave to me.
Thank you Lenny for everything you do! You are a Jewish hero.
Keep on Shlocking and we will see you again next year in Omaha on Good Shabbos Nebraska - Where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
Lenny Solomon on Good Shabbos Nebraska!
This Shabbos on Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite shabbos morning talk show - we have the one and only Lenny Solomon!!!
Lenny Solomon rivals Shlomo Carlebach as the most influential Jewish musician in American Jewish history. Lenny has performed in more communities in the United States than anyone other than perhaps Shlomo Carlebach and Yosselle Rosenblatt.
Lenny brought Torah, Jewish pride, and Jewish values to countless kids throughout American by rockin it out to songs that they already knew. Lenny went to places where Jewish kids didn't know anything at all about Judaism and he inspired them to go and learn about their Jewish heritage.
Lenny's only agenda was inspiring young Jews. He didn't push any particular brand of Judaism. He got kids excited and inspired them to go learn.
Lenny was an inspiration to me when I was a kid. For me, his most powerful song was the song Minayn Man. To this day, I get choked up when I hear the song.
Minyan Man was very influential in my decision to dedicate my life to helping small Jewish communities like Omaha.
Here are the lyrics. I expect everyone in Omaha to know them by 10 am tomorrow when we sing it with Lenny on Good Shabbos Nerbraska!
Lenny Solomon rivals Shlomo Carlebach as the most influential Jewish musician in American Jewish history. Lenny has performed in more communities in the United States than anyone other than perhaps Shlomo Carlebach and Yosselle Rosenblatt.
Lenny brought Torah, Jewish pride, and Jewish values to countless kids throughout American by rockin it out to songs that they already knew. Lenny went to places where Jewish kids didn't know anything at all about Judaism and he inspired them to go and learn about their Jewish heritage.
Lenny's only agenda was inspiring young Jews. He didn't push any particular brand of Judaism. He got kids excited and inspired them to go learn.
Lenny was an inspiration to me when I was a kid. For me, his most powerful song was the song Minayn Man. To this day, I get choked up when I hear the song.
Minyan Man was very influential in my decision to dedicate my life to helping small Jewish communities like Omaha.
Here are the lyrics. I expect everyone in Omaha to know them by 10 am tomorrow when we sing it with Lenny on Good Shabbos Nerbraska!
Minyan Man
I stepped off the bus in Mobile, Alabama
The sun was slowly setting by the bay
It was six o' clock on a summer Friday's afternoon
Shabbos was an hour away
I walked around the town
Wondering what to do
'Cause Shabbos is no time to be Feeling blue
And then I saw a man
Who looked the same way, too
I was quite relieved to find a fellow Jew
The sun was slowly setting by the bay
It was six o' clock on a summer Friday's afternoon
Shabbos was an hour away
I walked around the town
Wondering what to do
'Cause Shabbos is no time to be Feeling blue
And then I saw a man
Who looked the same way, too
I was quite relieved to find a fellow Jew
I
asked the man I saw how many Jews in this town
He said to me
"There used to be a minyan around
But one of us passed away
And we've been feeling down
Yet now it seems as though another Jew has been found
Won't you stay with us for Shabbos, Minyan Man?"
We walked down Winston Avenue
A block then two more
And went into a shop that read "Closed" on the door
There was a Minyan in the back of the hardware store
Nine men, waiting for one more
We ushered in the Shabbos
With a beautiful song
The Chazzan had a voice that was clear and strong
We sang out as one
All Shabbos long
Then Maariv came again
I had to be moving on
I asked the man I saw…
Now, that was twenty years ago
But the vision is clear
And I think about it now and then
'Cause the place is still dear
And when I make that trip to Mobile
Once every year
I remember the man who prayed here
Now, the Minyan is gone
A few died
Some moved on
But the back of the store still remembers this song
The nine men who waited
Then one came along
And Shabbos was carried on a song
He said to me
"There used to be a minyan around
But one of us passed away
And we've been feeling down
Yet now it seems as though another Jew has been found
Won't you stay with us for Shabbos, Minyan Man?"
We walked down Winston Avenue
A block then two more
And went into a shop that read "Closed" on the door
There was a Minyan in the back of the hardware store
Nine men, waiting for one more
We ushered in the Shabbos
With a beautiful song
The Chazzan had a voice that was clear and strong
We sang out as one
All Shabbos long
Then Maariv came again
I had to be moving on
I asked the man I saw…
Now, that was twenty years ago
But the vision is clear
And I think about it now and then
'Cause the place is still dear
And when I make that trip to Mobile
Once every year
I remember the man who prayed here
Now, the Minyan is gone
A few died
Some moved on
But the back of the store still remembers this song
The nine men who waited
Then one came along
And Shabbos was carried on a song
I
asked the man I saw…
Thursday, January 2, 2014
I am now an Omaha Jaycee!
I have been honored to have been nominated for the Ten Outstanding Young Omahans (TOYO) award by the Omaha Jaycees!
This is a great honor, especially when I see the people who have received it in the past and who are receiving it this year.
I was nominated by a good friend of mine here in Omaha who was a recipient of the award last year.
His name is Dan Gilbert. He will be appearing this week on a special episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska to tell us why this is such a special award.
This is going to be an unbelievable episode!
We have singer songwriter Karen Sokoloff Javitch who is going to talk about some of her children's hits. Then we have Etan G, the Jewish Rapper, and our headliner - the living legend - the one and only - Lenny Solomon!!!!
This is going to be an incredible shabbos. It all begins Friday Night with a musical kabbalat shabbat and then a special shabbos dinner featuring hits from Lenny's latest album - Shabbos in Liverpool.
After Shabbos Lenny is going to do a special unplugged Havdallah concert. Opened to the community.
And of course, Shabbos at 10am GOOD SHABBOS NEBRASKA!
It all happens right here at Beth Israel Synagogue - Where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
This is a great honor, especially when I see the people who have received it in the past and who are receiving it this year.
I was nominated by a good friend of mine here in Omaha who was a recipient of the award last year.
His name is Dan Gilbert. He will be appearing this week on a special episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska to tell us why this is such a special award.
This is going to be an unbelievable episode!
We have singer songwriter Karen Sokoloff Javitch who is going to talk about some of her children's hits. Then we have Etan G, the Jewish Rapper, and our headliner - the living legend - the one and only - Lenny Solomon!!!!
This is going to be an incredible shabbos. It all begins Friday Night with a musical kabbalat shabbat and then a special shabbos dinner featuring hits from Lenny's latest album - Shabbos in Liverpool.
After Shabbos Lenny is going to do a special unplugged Havdallah concert. Opened to the community.
And of course, Shabbos at 10am GOOD SHABBOS NEBRASKA!
It all happens right here at Beth Israel Synagogue - Where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
S1 E13 - Mid Season Special!
This week is the final episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska before our mid season hiatus so we are going out with a bang! We have an incredible line up of some of the best talent in Jewish music today!
Headline our Shabbos extravaganza is the ONE AND ONLY LEGENDARY LENNY SOLOMON!
I cannot believe we got Lenny for Shabbos. He is touring the US and he called me and told me that he wants to appear on Good Shabbos Nebraska!
Coming with Lenny is his protege, the original Jewish Rapper - Etan G! Here's the controversial clip where Etan G was kicked off of the chabad telethon in LA for his provocative song Motzi!
Also on the show this week, is my cousin Seth. Seth was a child prodigy, he has been playing the keyboard since he was about 3 years old. At 12 years old he performs with his father in the Avi Maza orchestra, and he is a finalist in the international competition "Jewish Kids Got Talent."
Here's a clip of Seth playing some Jazz. This kid is really incredible!
It is going to be an unbelievable Shabbos!
Friday night Lenny is going to lead us in an inspiring Friday Night dinner and teach us some hits off of his latest Album, "Shabbos in Liverpool."
Shabbos we are going to have an incredible episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska.
And After Shabbos Lenny is going to rock the house - Shlock Rock Style!
It all begins Friday at 6pm ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue - where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
Headline our Shabbos extravaganza is the ONE AND ONLY LEGENDARY LENNY SOLOMON!
I cannot believe we got Lenny for Shabbos. He is touring the US and he called me and told me that he wants to appear on Good Shabbos Nebraska!
Coming with Lenny is his protege, the original Jewish Rapper - Etan G! Here's the controversial clip where Etan G was kicked off of the chabad telethon in LA for his provocative song Motzi!
Also on the show this week we have Beth Israel member, singer song writer Karen Javitch. Karen hosts a radio show in Omaha and she is a youtube sensation! Her song in the nursery has received over 5 million hits from people all over the world!
Also on the show this week, is my cousin Seth. Seth was a child prodigy, he has been playing the keyboard since he was about 3 years old. At 12 years old he performs with his father in the Avi Maza orchestra, and he is a finalist in the international competition "Jewish Kids Got Talent."
Here's a clip of Seth playing some Jazz. This kid is really incredible!
Friday night Lenny is going to lead us in an inspiring Friday Night dinner and teach us some hits off of his latest Album, "Shabbos in Liverpool."
Shabbos we are going to have an incredible episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska.
And After Shabbos Lenny is going to rock the house - Shlock Rock Style!
It all begins Friday at 6pm ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue - where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
S1 E13 of Good Shabbos Nebraska - Musical Legend Lenny Solomon
This week we have the great privilege of having the one and only LENNY SOLOMON as a guest on Good Shabbos Nebraska.
Lenny Solomon is probably one of the greatest living legends in the Jewish Music scene today. He has recorded over 30 albums and has probably performed in more Jewish communities throughout the world than any musician other than maybe Shlomo Carlebach and Yossele Rosenblatt.
Lenny was in Omaha almost 20 years ago and for the last ten years I have been anxiously waiting for an opportunity to bring him back.
Thanks to Good Shabbos Nebraska, and some generous sponsors, he's is coming back!
We have had some amazing episodes this season, but this one looks like it may be our best episode yet!
Come early this week because we are going to fill up quickly! If you come at 10 there may not be a seat.
We are going to open the doors to shul at 7:00 am on Shabbos morning but people can start lining up any time after midnight on Wednesday night.
You do not want to miss this amazing episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska! This and every Shabbos at 10am ONLY at Beth Israel Syangogue - where every shabbos is a shabbaton!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
S! E12 recap
WOW!!!!
Today was an incredible episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos morning talk show!!!
Our scheduled guests were the Potash Twins. They are identical twin brothers Ezra and Adeev from Omaha. They are an up and coming Jazz sensation that are taking the New York city Jazz scene by storm.
They were great. Any one can tell that these guys are going places. Besides being great musicians, they both have incredible engaging personalities.
We spoke about being Jewish in the entertainment world. What are some of the challenges that being Jewish presents, but they also mentioned that it opens some doors. Traditionally the Jazz scene has not had so many Jews, but the Potashes told us that Israelis are heavy into Jazz and at any given Jazz show in Jew York there is strong Israeli representation.
They spoke about how having Hebrew names has also been something that has worked for them rather than against them.
But we also had a surprise guest today. We had Gershon Lerner, a shochet from Gibbon Nebraska staying with us for Shabbos. He came on as a guest and told us all about the shechitah process and the life of a chasidic shochet in the middle of Nebraska. It was fascinating.
After Kiddush Gershon did a Q and A about schechitah and people stayed for an hour as he fielded a barrage of tough questions about the kashruth industry and about kosher different kosher standards for meat.
it was an amazing episode. I am going to bring Gershon back at some point to do a whole episode on shechita.
Next week is the last episode before the mid winter hiatus. We have a star studded line up including the legendary LENNY SOLOMON!! Lenny is probably the greatest Jewish musician of our time.
He will be accompanied by Etan G - the original Jewish rapper! I have not seen Lenny and Etan G perform together in at least 20 years!!! It is going to be a shabbos to remember!
You don't want to miss it!!!
Today was an incredible episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos morning talk show!!!
Our scheduled guests were the Potash Twins. They are identical twin brothers Ezra and Adeev from Omaha. They are an up and coming Jazz sensation that are taking the New York city Jazz scene by storm.
They were great. Any one can tell that these guys are going places. Besides being great musicians, they both have incredible engaging personalities.
We spoke about being Jewish in the entertainment world. What are some of the challenges that being Jewish presents, but they also mentioned that it opens some doors. Traditionally the Jazz scene has not had so many Jews, but the Potashes told us that Israelis are heavy into Jazz and at any given Jazz show in Jew York there is strong Israeli representation.
They spoke about how having Hebrew names has also been something that has worked for them rather than against them.
But we also had a surprise guest today. We had Gershon Lerner, a shochet from Gibbon Nebraska staying with us for Shabbos. He came on as a guest and told us all about the shechitah process and the life of a chasidic shochet in the middle of Nebraska. It was fascinating.
After Kiddush Gershon did a Q and A about schechitah and people stayed for an hour as he fielded a barrage of tough questions about the kashruth industry and about kosher different kosher standards for meat.
it was an amazing episode. I am going to bring Gershon back at some point to do a whole episode on shechita.
Next week is the last episode before the mid winter hiatus. We have a star studded line up including the legendary LENNY SOLOMON!! Lenny is probably the greatest Jewish musician of our time.
He will be accompanied by Etan G - the original Jewish rapper! I have not seen Lenny and Etan G perform together in at least 20 years!!! It is going to be a shabbos to remember!
You don't want to miss it!!!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Musical guests closing out the first half of Good Shabbos Nebraska Season 1
As the new year approaches we are getting ready to close out the first half of season one of Good Shabbos Nebraska.
And what a season it has been so far! To recap:
Shmuley Boteach spoke with us about suffering, Michael Jackson, Jesus, and sex.
Jonathan Rosenbaum gave us an archaeological tour of Avraham's travels.
Jonathan Adelman briefed us Syria, Iran, and the Middle East.
Meir Bar Ilan introduced us to ancient Jewish magic, witchcraft, and numerology.
Moshe Goldfeder told us about polygamy and robots.
Boris Gulko gave us first hand accounts of his life as one of the most celebrated Russian Refusenik.
Avital Chizhik took on Amos Oz and Vladamir Putin.
Sheba Mason had us rolling in the aisles.
Sabrina Thomas informed us about Christian Zionism.
Josh Yuter challenged everything we thought we knew about being Jewish.
Sjimon Den Hollander spoke to us about speaking with Muslims.
Every week has been great conversations and great Torah. Good Shabbos Nebraska is doing better than I ever could have imagined. New people are coming, and our regulars are coming more often! And people are sponsoring some great kiddushes for after shul!
This is the future of shul! Stay tuned for a Good Shabbos Nebraska tribute show at a shul near you!
The next two weeks we have a line up of incredible Jewish musical talent!
This week we have the Potash Twins. If you have not heard of these guys yet, you will very soon. Adeev and Ezra Potash, two local Omaha boys and identical twins, have taken the New York Jazz scene by storm! They have already played with some of the biggest names in jazz and their following is growing stronger by the day!
This Shabbos we are going to talk with them about being Jewish celebrities, challenges and opportunities, and they are going to tell us about TWINTUITION - there special powers that they say makes them a great music team. It was the subject of their recent Ted Talk!
Next week we have the one and only - LENNY SOLOMON!!!! Lenny Solomon just may be the greatest Jewish musician ever! He started the band Shlock Rock in the mid 0s and since then he has inspired literally hundreds of thousands of Jewish kids throughout the world!
I am a huge Lenny fan, I have been since my bar mitzvah. I cannot wait to have a chance to interview him in person on Good Shabbos Nebraska!
In addition, he is going to be bringing Etan G! The Jewish Rapper!!!
It is going to be an unforgettable start studded two weeks and will take us with a bang into our mid winter Hiatus!
When we come back in February we have an incredible line up of great guests, EVERY WEEK!
So don't miss a single episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - EVERY SHABBOS ONLY AT BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE - WHERE EVERY SHABBOS IS A SHABBATON!
And what a season it has been so far! To recap:
Shmuley Boteach spoke with us about suffering, Michael Jackson, Jesus, and sex.
Jonathan Rosenbaum gave us an archaeological tour of Avraham's travels.
Jonathan Adelman briefed us Syria, Iran, and the Middle East.
Meir Bar Ilan introduced us to ancient Jewish magic, witchcraft, and numerology.
Moshe Goldfeder told us about polygamy and robots.
Boris Gulko gave us first hand accounts of his life as one of the most celebrated Russian Refusenik.
Avital Chizhik took on Amos Oz and Vladamir Putin.
Sheba Mason had us rolling in the aisles.
Sabrina Thomas informed us about Christian Zionism.
Josh Yuter challenged everything we thought we knew about being Jewish.
Sjimon Den Hollander spoke to us about speaking with Muslims.
Every week has been great conversations and great Torah. Good Shabbos Nebraska is doing better than I ever could have imagined. New people are coming, and our regulars are coming more often! And people are sponsoring some great kiddushes for after shul!
This is the future of shul! Stay tuned for a Good Shabbos Nebraska tribute show at a shul near you!
The next two weeks we have a line up of incredible Jewish musical talent!
This week we have the Potash Twins. If you have not heard of these guys yet, you will very soon. Adeev and Ezra Potash, two local Omaha boys and identical twins, have taken the New York Jazz scene by storm! They have already played with some of the biggest names in jazz and their following is growing stronger by the day!
This Shabbos we are going to talk with them about being Jewish celebrities, challenges and opportunities, and they are going to tell us about TWINTUITION - there special powers that they say makes them a great music team. It was the subject of their recent Ted Talk!
Next week we have the one and only - LENNY SOLOMON!!!! Lenny Solomon just may be the greatest Jewish musician ever! He started the band Shlock Rock in the mid 0s and since then he has inspired literally hundreds of thousands of Jewish kids throughout the world!
I am a huge Lenny fan, I have been since my bar mitzvah. I cannot wait to have a chance to interview him in person on Good Shabbos Nebraska!
In addition, he is going to be bringing Etan G! The Jewish Rapper!!!
It is going to be an unforgettable start studded two weeks and will take us with a bang into our mid winter Hiatus!
When we come back in February we have an incredible line up of great guests, EVERY WEEK!
So don't miss a single episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - EVERY SHABBOS ONLY AT BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE - WHERE EVERY SHABBOS IS A SHABBATON!
Friday, December 20, 2013
S1 E11 Sjimon Den Hollanmder and the model for Interfaith Dialogue
This week on Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos morning talk show - we have special guest Sjimon Den Hollander.
Sjimon has a unique background. He studied many religions on a sophisticated level, in that he learned for extended periods of time from scholarly practitioners of different religions, studying religious texts in their original languages with traditional as well as modern scholarly commentary.
I had the privilege to study Torah with Sjimon and his breadth of knowledge and real life experiences opened up new vistas of understanding that even great scholars of Judaism sought to learn from him.
In America in the 21st century even the most cloistered traditional Jewish sects are engaged with people of other faiths. Agudat Yisrael, the umbrella organization that represents the Hareidi world, regularly partners with other faith groups to discuss and advocate for their beliefs, values, and practices.
Simply talking to people of another religion does not necessary make for meaningful interfaith dialogue.
A number of years ago a Jewish man in Omaha wanted to meet with me. He was not a member of my shul, and we had never really had a conversation before (we subsequently became very close friends). When we met he told me that his daughter on the East Coast was dating a Catholic boy. They were selected to be on a reality television show that was showing how couples of different faiths deal with their differences. The television show was flying them around and doing interviews with friends and family. When they visited the son's religious Catholic parents they had a lot to say about their Catholic faith. This Jewish man was an active member of the Jewish community, but did not know much about Judaism and he wanted to have something interesting to share with the show.
So he searched his house and he found a pair of tefilin that belonged to his father. He brought them with him and asked me what I could tell him about them. I told him what they were, we learned the verses in the Torah that talk about them and I told him that if he came to minyan the next day I would show him how to put them on and how to daven with them. He came and he had a spiritual and educational experience that gave him something uniquely Jewish to share with the show. This man understood that if he was going to have a meaningful discussion then he had to know more Torah.
Interfaith dialogue is only meaningful if both sides are educated about their respective religions. If both sides are uneducated then people have superficial discussions about how all people are the same and how we all value loving our neighbors. We sing Hava Nagilah and you sing Amazing Grace - but we are all really the same in the end.
Sjimon is involved in what should be the model for interfaith dialogue. He is a knowledgeable person who has studied different faiths. He engages with Muslims and Christians who are equally knowledgeable. The more knowledgeable the two sides of an interfaith discussion are, the more meaningful the dialogue will be.
Tomorrow on Good Shabbos Nebraska Sjimon is going to tell us some of the benefits to engaging with people of other faiths, but also some of the pitfalls that people must look out for.
This is a very relevant topic for Omaha's Jewish community as Temple Israel, the Reform Synagogue across the street, is currently involved in a tri faith initiative where they are seeking to have dialogue with Christians and Muslims. I hope that tomorrow we see a good turn out for what will be a very important episode of GSN.
So don't miss Good Shabbos Nebraska, this and every Shabbos, 10 am ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue where every Shabbos is a Shabbaton.
Sjimon has a unique background. He studied many religions on a sophisticated level, in that he learned for extended periods of time from scholarly practitioners of different religions, studying religious texts in their original languages with traditional as well as modern scholarly commentary.
I had the privilege to study Torah with Sjimon and his breadth of knowledge and real life experiences opened up new vistas of understanding that even great scholars of Judaism sought to learn from him.
In America in the 21st century even the most cloistered traditional Jewish sects are engaged with people of other faiths. Agudat Yisrael, the umbrella organization that represents the Hareidi world, regularly partners with other faith groups to discuss and advocate for their beliefs, values, and practices.
Simply talking to people of another religion does not necessary make for meaningful interfaith dialogue.
A number of years ago a Jewish man in Omaha wanted to meet with me. He was not a member of my shul, and we had never really had a conversation before (we subsequently became very close friends). When we met he told me that his daughter on the East Coast was dating a Catholic boy. They were selected to be on a reality television show that was showing how couples of different faiths deal with their differences. The television show was flying them around and doing interviews with friends and family. When they visited the son's religious Catholic parents they had a lot to say about their Catholic faith. This Jewish man was an active member of the Jewish community, but did not know much about Judaism and he wanted to have something interesting to share with the show.
So he searched his house and he found a pair of tefilin that belonged to his father. He brought them with him and asked me what I could tell him about them. I told him what they were, we learned the verses in the Torah that talk about them and I told him that if he came to minyan the next day I would show him how to put them on and how to daven with them. He came and he had a spiritual and educational experience that gave him something uniquely Jewish to share with the show. This man understood that if he was going to have a meaningful discussion then he had to know more Torah.
Interfaith dialogue is only meaningful if both sides are educated about their respective religions. If both sides are uneducated then people have superficial discussions about how all people are the same and how we all value loving our neighbors. We sing Hava Nagilah and you sing Amazing Grace - but we are all really the same in the end.
Sjimon is involved in what should be the model for interfaith dialogue. He is a knowledgeable person who has studied different faiths. He engages with Muslims and Christians who are equally knowledgeable. The more knowledgeable the two sides of an interfaith discussion are, the more meaningful the dialogue will be.
Tomorrow on Good Shabbos Nebraska Sjimon is going to tell us some of the benefits to engaging with people of other faiths, but also some of the pitfalls that people must look out for.
This is a very relevant topic for Omaha's Jewish community as Temple Israel, the Reform Synagogue across the street, is currently involved in a tri faith initiative where they are seeking to have dialogue with Christians and Muslims. I hope that tomorrow we see a good turn out for what will be a very important episode of GSN.
So don't miss Good Shabbos Nebraska, this and every Shabbos, 10 am ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue where every Shabbos is a Shabbaton.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Neshama Carlebach and Interfaith Dialogue
Neshama Carlebach recently posted that she has made Aliyah to Reform Judaism. One of the points that she makes in her post was that her father, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, was ostracized by the Orthodox establishment because of his interfaith activities. She feels that the Reform movement is a home where she can carry on her father's tradition of finding true unity for all of God's children.
In this I think she expresses what is a common belief among many Jews - Reform Jews are better equipped to engage in meaningful interfaith dialogue than Orthodox Jews.
It is a common belief that I believe is a great misconception.
As an Orthodox Rabbi in Omaha, Nebraska every year, literally hundreds of people from other faiths seek me out because they want to learn about Judaism. More often than not they are aware of the different Jewish denominations and they specifically want to speak to an Orthodox Rabbi for a variety of different reasons.
In this I think she expresses what is a common belief among many Jews - Reform Jews are better equipped to engage in meaningful interfaith dialogue than Orthodox Jews.
It is a common belief that I believe is a great misconception.
As an Orthodox Rabbi in Omaha, Nebraska every year, literally hundreds of people from other faiths seek me out because they want to learn about Judaism. More often than not they are aware of the different Jewish denominations and they specifically want to speak to an Orthodox Rabbi for a variety of different reasons.
- They perceive that Reform Judaism espouses values that are universal but do not express anything that is uniquely Jewish. They learn kindness, charity, and social justice from their own traditions. They do not feel they need to learn those values from Jews. They want to learn about uniquely Jewish practices like Shabbos, Kosher, Eruv (incredible how many people want to learn about that), tefilin, Yarmulka and tzitzit (for men) and head covering (for women). These are practices that they perceive are more prevalent in the Orthodox Jewish world then the Reform world.
- They perceive that their value systems conform with the values of Orthodox Jews and that their values are at odds with the values of Reform Jews. Many Muslim and Christian groups in America have staunch conservative values and express relief when they learn on the Internet that there are actually Jews who share those values rather than advocate for values and positions that they believe to be anti religious and culturally destructive.
- They believe in the Bible and they are offended when they hear Jews -of all people - say that the Bible is a fictitious man made document with values that express, at best, the good intentions of primitive authors. They believe that the Bible is divine, binding, and eternal and they seek out Jews who share that belief.
While it may be true that the Reform movement is more involved in official interfaith activities, there are millions of Americans who look to the Orthodox Jewish community to learn about Judaism. These individuals and groups look to the Hareidi world to learn how to successfully maintain an authentic counter culture in the face of pervasive and incredible societal pressures to conform to the dominant culture. They look towards modern Orthodox Jews to learn how to successfully integrate an ancient tradition with the modern world. They ask us questions in the hopes of learning our secret.
So while there is no denying that the Reform community is a place for those who want to engage in meaningful interfaith discussion, the Orthodox community serves as a resource to millions of religious Americans who are looking to learn about a Judaism that they can understand and relate to.
Neshama Carlebach's other points have validity. The traumatic experiences that she describes as a little girl would be enough to make anyone leave, and as a female singer she certainly will be able to reach more people in the Reform community then if she was in the Orthodox community.
But I don't think that being reform will lead her towards more meaningful interfaith dialogue. I suggest that if she has meaningful dialogue, which I have no doubt that she does, it is because she is so seeped in Judaism as a result of being her father's daughter. My hope is that her Aliyah to the Reform movement puts her in a position to have great influence on Reform Jews and bring their masses back to traditional uniquely Jewish practices like Shabbos, Kosher, tefilin, along with traditional Jewish beliefs, and I hope that through her aliyah she can give the Jewish people an aliyah as well.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
S1 E11 - Sjimon Den Hollander
This Shabbos on Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos morning talk show - we have the great privilege of hosting special guest Sjimon Den Hollander!
According Jewish tradition, Moshe's father in law Yitro researched, studied, and experienced all of the religions of the world before he embraced Judaism. If a person wants to get an insight into what made Yitro special, they should meet Sjimon Den Hollander.
Sjimon was born a Dutch Calvinist in the Netherlands, but at a young age his desire to learn sent him from the faith of his family on a journey of a lifetime that spanned across the globe.
(Some of his bio can be found here, but he will give a detailed account of his amazing life story after Kiddush on Shabbos.)
I had the great privilege of meeting Sjimon when we were both students of the great Hacham Eliyahu ben Haim at Yeshiva university. Sjimon was my hevrusa (study partner) and together we prepared the texts that Hacham lectured on. It was an incredible privilege to learn with Sjimon, as Sjimon's life experiences gave him insights, understanding, and practical knowledge on such a wide variety of subjects.
When we studied anything relating to agriculture or livestock Sjimon drew from his childhood upbringing on a farm.
When we studied anything relating to human anatomy Sjimon drew from his training and experience as a nurse.
When we studied texts Sjimon drew from his proficiency in so many languages, modern and ancient.
For every mitzvah or ritual he told us about parallel practices in other cultures.
He regularly drew from his knowledge of general world history and philosophy.
And despite his vast knowledge base, Sjimon is the consummate wise man described by Ben Zoma who can "learn from every man." I have never met someone who so embodied such genuine humility. He views every person that he encounters as a potential teacher. He is a master of the art of listening, and he views every conversation as an opportunity to learn from the other person.
I am so privileged to know Sjimon. Since I have known him he has been like an older brother to me. Sjimon has taught me so much about life and connecting with other people. He has always been there for me for my celebrations, and he was there for me during some of the hardest times in my life.
I am so happy that my community has an opportunity to meet this extraordinary person and that he will honor us by being a guest on Good Shabbos Nebraska.
You will not want to miss this unforgettable episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - this and every Shabbos 10 am ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue, where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
According Jewish tradition, Moshe's father in law Yitro researched, studied, and experienced all of the religions of the world before he embraced Judaism. If a person wants to get an insight into what made Yitro special, they should meet Sjimon Den Hollander.
Sjimon was born a Dutch Calvinist in the Netherlands, but at a young age his desire to learn sent him from the faith of his family on a journey of a lifetime that spanned across the globe.
(Some of his bio can be found here, but he will give a detailed account of his amazing life story after Kiddush on Shabbos.)
I had the great privilege of meeting Sjimon when we were both students of the great Hacham Eliyahu ben Haim at Yeshiva university. Sjimon was my hevrusa (study partner) and together we prepared the texts that Hacham lectured on. It was an incredible privilege to learn with Sjimon, as Sjimon's life experiences gave him insights, understanding, and practical knowledge on such a wide variety of subjects.
When we studied anything relating to agriculture or livestock Sjimon drew from his childhood upbringing on a farm.
When we studied anything relating to human anatomy Sjimon drew from his training and experience as a nurse.
When we studied texts Sjimon drew from his proficiency in so many languages, modern and ancient.
For every mitzvah or ritual he told us about parallel practices in other cultures.
He regularly drew from his knowledge of general world history and philosophy.
And despite his vast knowledge base, Sjimon is the consummate wise man described by Ben Zoma who can "learn from every man." I have never met someone who so embodied such genuine humility. He views every person that he encounters as a potential teacher. He is a master of the art of listening, and he views every conversation as an opportunity to learn from the other person.
I am so privileged to know Sjimon. Since I have known him he has been like an older brother to me. Sjimon has taught me so much about life and connecting with other people. He has always been there for me for my celebrations, and he was there for me during some of the hardest times in my life.
I am so happy that my community has an opportunity to meet this extraordinary person and that he will honor us by being a guest on Good Shabbos Nebraska.
You will not want to miss this unforgettable episode of Good Shabbos Nebraska - this and every Shabbos 10 am ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue, where every Shabbos is a shabbaton!
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