Synopsis of Good Shabbos Nebraska Season 1 Episode 2 - Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum

Season 1 of Good Shabbos Nebraska is so far a big hit.  The network (aka my synagogue board) has given the green light to go ahead with the popular talk show indefinitely!

Episode 2 of GSN featured the renowned scholar Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum.

We began by talking a bit about the devastating Pew report.  Rabbi Rosenbaum has a unique perspective as he has been a Rabbi of an Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform congregation.  There are not many people alive today who have that type of perspective.

I asked Rabbi Rosenbaum if he could tell us a bit about his education at Harvard.  He was a student of some of the most influential scholars of the 20th century, including Frank Cross, G. E. Wright, and William Moran.
He was a classmate of the famous scholar Jon Levinson and of Omaha's own Leonard Greenspoon.

Then we jumped right into the parshah.  This past week's parshah was lech licha - the origin story of Abraham.  Chapter 14 tells the story of Abraham's battle against 4 kings who teamed up to wreak havoc on the ancient middle east.  This chapter is unique as it gives us a clear understanding of the time period at which Abraham lived and some details about the rest of the ancient world at that time.

The chapter begins:

It happened in the days of Amraphel king of shinaar, Aryoch king of Elasar, Kidarlaomer king of Elam, and Tidaal king of Goyim.  

Rabbi Rosenbaum brought out a map of the ancient world and proceeded to show us which lands these scholars believe are being referred to and what evidence we have to the existence of these four kings.

This has always been one of my favorite chapters of the Torah and it was so enlightening to finally get some of the background story about what was going on at that time.  

Rabbi Rosenbaum stressed that the Torah is a sacred book but we should never forget that it informs us about history as well.  It is a reliable historical document that does not give us the whole picture, but no historical document ever does.  But just as scholars use the works of Homer and the Epic of Gilgamesh to find clues about the ancient world that can then be reinforced with archaeological evidence, the Torah is an invaluable document that sheds light on the time period of which it speaks.  

After every episode of GSN we have a kiddush lunch which the entire community is invited to.

After the kiddush he spoke about the dark underbelly of modern archaeology.  Apparently there are forgeries circulating that are so authentic that they can fool some of the top experts on the ancient world.  The reason for this is that these forgeries are being manufactured by people who have extensive academic archaeological training themselves.  Apparently, there is more money in selling forgeries of priceless antiquities than there is in being an associate professor at of ancient history. 

This is a big problem for many reasons, not the least of which being that by manufacturing false antiquities people can reconstruct or construct false histories that are now backed up by "evidence."  

It was a great episode of GSN.  

Next week our annual AIPAC Shabbos.  Our guest on Good Shabbos Nebraska is Dr. Jonathan Adelman of the University of Denver.  Dr. Adelman was the dissertation adviser of Condalisa Rise, and he has written about and lectured extensively about the Middle East, China, Russia, and just about everything.  It is a pleasure to welcome him back to Omaha again.  It is going to be a great Shabbos!

Rabbi Rosenbaum and the Legacy of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Grodzinsky

Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Grodzinsky was a great Rabbinic figure who lived in Omaha, Nebraska from 1891 until his death in 1947.  Rabbi Grodzinsky was a prolific author of Jewish law and considered at the time to be one of the greatest Torah scholars in America.  He was a cousin of the famed Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky, who was considered to be the greatest Rabbi in the world before the Holocaust.

In the 1980s Rabbi Jonathan Rosenbaum researched the life of Zvi Hirsch Grodzinsky and wrote a scholarly paper that is until today considered to be the authoritative essay on the life of this Torah scholar.  

This Shabbos Rabbi Rosenbaum is the guest on Good Shabbos Nebraska - America's favorite Shabbos morning talk show. 

Today we were at the Rose Blumkin Jewish home and we ran into Melvin Tatelman and his son Mark Tatelman.  Melvin is married to Rabbi Grodzinsky's granddaughter and Mark is Rabbi Grodzinsky's great grandson.  

I introduced Rabbi Rosenbaum to the Tatelman's and we sat down and learned some Torah together.

Rabbi Rosenbaum learning Torah with 

the descendants of Zvi Hirsch Grodzinsky

This was a great honor for Rabbi Rosenbaum to learn with them and they were so grateful that Rabbi Rosenbaum ensured that the legacy of Rabbi Grodzinsky will live on.  

Tomorrow Rabbi Rosenbaum will talk a little about Rabbi Grodzinsky, but mostly about his expertize in Biblical archaeology, having studied at Harvard under some of the most influential scholars in the field and having been the deputy director of the Ein Gedi excavation in Israel.

It is going to be a great Shabbos.  It all begins at 10am every Shabbos ONLY at Beth Israel.

Episode 2 of Good Shabbos Nebraska to air this week! Special Guest Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum.

Guest post by the Beth Israel office manager Jeannie Nickels.

Episode 2 of Good Shabbos Nebraska (GSN) airs on Shabbos, October 12, 2013.  Rabbi Gross will be talking with special guest , Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum. 

Rabbi Rosenbaum is a specialist in Biblical history, the paleography and epigraphy of ancient Semitic languages, and American Jewish history. 

He was  the University of Hartford's first Maurice Greenberg Professor of Judaic Studies and director of its Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies from 1986 to 1998. He conceived and helped guide the Henry Luce Forum in Abrahamic Religions, a program jointly sponsored by the University of Hartford devoted to advancing scholarship concerning and mutual understanding among American Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

From 1995 to 1998 Rosenbaum served as a deputy director of the Ein Gedi Archaeological Expedition in Israel. 

He was president of Gratz College from 1998-2009, and he now serves as president emeritus. 

A rarity in the contemporary Jewish world, Rabbi Rosenbaum has served as a rabbi in Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox congregations. During his student years at HUC-JIR, he held a student rabbi position at Congregation Israel (Reform), Galesburg, IL (1970-1972). While at Harvard he was assistant rabbi, Temple Israel (Conservative), Swampscott, MA, (1972–76), and then a part-time rabbi of Congregation Israel (Conservative), Danville, IL (1976–84). From 1994 to 1998 he was rabbi of Congregation Agudas Achim, a mainstream Orthodox, century-old congregation in West Hartford, CT.

Dr. Rosenbaum has a strong connection to Omaha which formed when he taught in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Nebraska from 1978 to 1986.  During that time he was an active member of the Jewish community, a member of Beth Israel synagogue, and he was the study partner of Beth Israel's Rabbi Isaac Nadoff.

“My wife Susan, my children, and I consider Omaha our home, of all of the many communities that we have lived in we never found one that was more welcoming and committed to the ideals of Jewish life and living,” said Dr. Rosenbaum.

Dr. Rosenbaum is excited to be part of Good Shabbos Nebraska. In a recent interview Dr. Rosenbaum said, “GSN is indicative of the classic approach at Beth Israel. The openness to community and utilizing shabbos as an opportunity to engage and immerse in Torah.  The program is not called Good Shabbos Beth Israel - it is Good Shabbos Nebraska demonstrating how it is for everyone in the Jewish community.”

In an interview, Rabbi Gross said, “It is a great honor to be hosting a scholar of Rabbi Dr. Rosenbaum’s credentials and reputation.  I look forward to having a chance to interview him and learn Torah together with him.  It is especially nice to have something with deep ties to Omaha.  He made a great impact on our community that is still felt 30 years later.”

Every episode of GSN engages viewers with fascinating discussions on Jewish topics ranging from current events, history, philosophy, and of course the weekly Torah portion.  Say farewell to the pulpit and say hello to the contemporary synagogue experience featuring discussions that talk with you and not at you. 

Good Shabbos Nebraska airs every Shabbos at 10 am ONLY at Beth Israel Synagogue.  For more information visit www.goodshabbosnebraka com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Goodshabbosnebraska, and on twitter @GoodShabbosNeb.