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Rabbi Ed Feinstein
WHAT DID OTHERS SAY?
WHAT DO I GET?
HOW DO I REGISTER?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Rabbi Ed Feinstein is senior rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California. He serves on the faculty of the Ziegler Rabbinical School of the American Jewish University, the Wexner Heritage Foundation, and the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and lectures widely across the United States.
His first book, Tough Questions Jews Ask – A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life, (Jewish Lights, 2003), was chosen for the American Library Association’s Top Ten Books on Religion for Young Readers and a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. He is editor of Jews and Judaism in the Twenty-First Century: Human Responsibility, the Presence of God and the Future of the Covenant (Jewish Lights, 2007), also a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. His latest book, Capturing the Moon (Behrman House, 2008) retells the best of classic and modern Jewish folktales.
Rabbi Feinstein was raised in the back of his parents’ bakery on the frontiers of the West San Fernando Valley. He graduated with honors from the University of California at Santa Cruz, the University of Judaism, Columbia University Teachers College, and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he was ordained in 1981. In 1982, Rabbi Feinstein became the founding director of the Solomon Schechter Academy of Dallas, Texas, building the school’s enrollment from 40 to over 500 in eight years, and winning national recognition as center of educational excellence. In 1990, he assumed the directorship of Camp Ramah in California, the largest Jewish camp & conference center in the western United States. He came to Valley Beth Shalom in 1993.
Rabbi Feinstein lives in the epicenter of the San Fernando Valley with his wife Rabbi Nina Bieber Feinstein. Nina was the second woman ordained by the Conservative Movement. The Feinstein’s are blessed with three teenage children.
An engaging lecturer and storyteller, Rabbi Feinstein unites the Jewish love of ideas with the warmth of Jewish humor. And every Friday afternoon, he bakes brownies from a recipe revealed to his ancestors at Mount Sinai.
Legacy of Wonder
(Fragment)
Yom Kippur, 2002
by Rabbi Ed Feinstein
[...] There will be no sermon tonight. Instead, I want to share a gift with you. A gift of wisdom from a thinker whose thirtieth yahrzeit will be marked this year, but whose importance is only now being realized.
His name was Abraham Joshua Heschel. And he had a uniquely beautiful way of understanding the spiritual life. His lectures, at universities and seminaries, in churches and synagogues, would begin the same way. He would lean over the lectern and announce:
"Ladies and gentlemen, a great miracle has just occurred!"
Members of the startled audience would immediately cease talking, lean forward wondering, what miracle could have happened? What miracle did they miss? He would then continue,
"Ladies and gentlemen, a great miracle has just take place...the sun has gone down."
Now they would look at him strangely, some taken aback, incredulous, other might snicker at the strange man with the long beard and prophetic manner. Then he began to speak, and as he spoke, you began to feel deeply embarrassed that the sun had gone down, and you didn't stop to notice. What part of us has been surrendered when the sunset no longer inspires?
"Wonder, or radical amazement," he wrote, "is the chief characteristic of the religious man's attitude toward nature and history. One attitude is alien to his spirit: taking things for granted, regarding events as the natural course of things. To find an approximate cause of a phenomenon is no answer to his ultimate wonder. He knows that there are laws that regulate the course of natural processes; he is aware of the regularity and pattern of things. However such knowledge fails to mitigate his sense of perpetual surprise at the fact that there are facts at all."
Religion, for Heschel, is not first and foremost a matter of accepting a set of beliefs. Religion is a way of knowing the world, a unique way of apprehending reality. And the opposite of religion is not doubt or disbelief or secularity. The opposite of religion is boredom -- to look at the world and find nothing engaging, nothing surprising. The opposite of religion is to miss an essential element of reality -- its mystery, its grandeur -- it is to witness the sunset an just push down the car's sun visor without a moment of amazement and wonder.
"Awareness of the divine begins with wonder. It is the result of what man does with his higher incomprehension. As civilization advances," he continued, "the sense of wonder declines. Such a decline is an alarming symptom of our state of mind. Mankind will not perish for want of information; but only for want of appreciation. The beginning of happiness lies in understanding that life without wonder is not worth living." [...]
The full article is included in the Tele-Webinar Study Guide. To gain access...
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Seeing The World Through A Spiritual Lens
The Vision of Abraham Joshua Heschel
A NewCAJE LEHRHAUS ONLINE PREMIERE
88-Minute Tele-Webinar Recorded Live
with award-winning author and thought leader
Rabbi Ed Feinstein
 Abraham Joshua Heschel taught us a way to see the world through a spiritual lens. His books are treasures of insight for the seeking Jew, but they aren’t always easy to comprehend or to teach. In this program, Rabbi Ed Feinstein explores the foundations of Heschel’s vision and the keys to understanding his writing, so that we might appreciate how he viewed the world, the Jewish people, and the place of God in our lives.
- How does Hasidism find its place in Heschel’s thinking?
- How can we capture in words that which is beyond words?
- Where do wonder, mystery & awe find a place in our religious lives?
- What question is asked of us at the end of the religious quest?
- How did Heschel himself answer that question?
If you find any of these questions puzzling or intriguing, this interactive session, recorded live, with Rabbi Ed Feinstein, one of the world's best teachers and captivating speaker is just for you.
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All Profits from this Virtual
Learning Session
Support The New Coalition on
Alternatives in Jewish Education (NewCAJE) |
This tele-webinar's tuition may be a tax deductible contribution. |
In this 88-minute interactive session, recorded live, you will gain insight into the Why, What and How of Abraham Joshua Heschel's view of the world through a spiritual lens. While the material is first-class, the means are straightforward, suitable to anyone, regardless of your religious or educational background.
If you happen to also be an educator, lay or professional, this tele-webinar will serve as a pre-made module. You can learn, adapt and then teach this material. Your students, congregants and friends will be delighted to gain this insight and knowledge through you from one of the leading authors and thinkers in the Jewish world today.
To gain access to the 88-minute recording, the 33-page Study Guide and several additional learning bonuses, simply...
for only $36. As all profits go to support NewCAJE, we encourage you to purchase as many virtual tickets as you can afford. Please consider buying a ticket for a Jewish teacher or a friend as a gift.
What Did Others Say About This Program?
What Do I Get for My Registration Fee?
How Do I Register?
Frequently Asked Questions
If you've had the pleasure of attending any of Rabbi Ed Feinstein's live teachings, you already know how insightful, informative, and inspiring he is. If you haven't, you are in for a real treat. So go ahead and register now!
Enjoy!
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Sergiu S. Simmel
Founder and President
Our Learning Company LLC |
Rabbi Cherie Koller-Fox
Facilitator
NewCAJE
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What Did Others Say About This Program?
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Amy Ripps, Raleigh, North Carolina |
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Nanette Connelly, Geneva, Switzerland |
"Thank you for a very interesting and informative evening. I appreciate the advance study guide and the "bonus" readings. I also appreciate the efforts to support NewCAJE."
Debi Mishael, Bellaire, Texas |
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Marsha Faass, Paoli, Pennsylvania |
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Janie Grackin, West Palm Beach, Florida |
"Thank you, Thank you! I now realize why I loved Heschel so much when I was in school - and - Now feel more comfortable with myself... Amazing - Marvelous - Wonderful...."
Georgy Rock, Kirkwood, Missouri |
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Eran Rosenberg, Columbus, Ohio |
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Carol Ann Janzen, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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Stephen Parkoff, Edison, New Jersey |
"I thought this was a great topic, feel you barely scratched the surface. Great readings. I like having handouts to keep, so thank you for that. Overall it was excellent and I really like the handouts and discussion. Thank you and Yasher Koach!"
Marian Kleiman, Greeenwood Lake, New York |
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Elaine Langer, Allentown, Pennsylvania |
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Frank Fischer, Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
"Many thanks for an inspiring session. Well done."
Peter Nathan, Pasadena, California |
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Idit Zabari, Omaha, Nebraska |
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Judy Massarano, Berkeley, California |
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Lyndall Miller, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
"Applause! Can I send in some applause?"
Marian Kleiman, Greeenwood Lake, New York |
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Rabbi Sylvan Wolf, Naples, Florida |
Impressed? I was... Then what are you waiting for? Simply...
What Do I Get For My Registration Fee?
- A recording of the entire event, streamed over the Internet
- A downloadable MP3 recording of the event
- A 33 page Study Guide, including:
- A 9-page sermon by Rabbi Feinstein, delivered in commemoration of Heschel's 30th yahrzeit.
- A 5-page article by Brandeis Professor Reuven Kimelman, on Heschel's Thesis on the Unity of Jewish Theology.
In addition, you will also receive the following bonuses:
- Bonus #1: A free chapter from Rabbi Feinstein's book titled "Tough Questions Jews Ask – A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life."
- Bonus #2: A free chapter from "Jews and Judaism in the Twenty-First Century: Human Responsibility, the Presence of God and the Future of the Covenant," edited by Rabbi Feinstein.
- Bonus #3: A 32-page, expanded version of Reuven Kimelman's article, titled "Abraham Joshua Heschel's Theology of Judaism and the Rewriting of Jewish Intellectual History"
- Bonus #4: A selection of Web-based resources on Abraham Joshua Heschel and his work for you to explore and use in learning and teaching.
How Do I Order?
- Click the Register Now button above
- Enter your payment information.
- Click on the green Submit Order button and wait for the credit card transaction to go through.
That's it! You will end up on a page where you can download all the print materials, listen to the audio materials, including bonus materials, and even download the MP3 audio files.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is this a video broadcast from a studio?
A: No. Learners from across the world access this live-recorded tele-webinar replay in an audio format, pretty much like a podcast or replay of a call-in radio talk-show.
Q. I am a beginner, and know precious little about Heschel or Jewish spirituality. Will I be able to follow this session, or is it suitable for advanced learners only?
A: Rabbi Feinstein's teaching is for everyone. He is well renowned for the clarity of his teaching, and for making complex topics accessible without “watering them down.” Also, don't forget that you will be able to listen to the replay again and again, at your discretion. So even if you missed something on the first pass (such as during the live event), you'll be able to catch up shortly afterwards.
Q: I am very advanced in my Jewish studies (maybe even an ordained rabbi, Jewish educator or a scholar), so why should I spend my time and money on this?
A: For at least five reasons:
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First, Ed Feinstein's approach to this topic is unique, bringing together a wealth of knowledge not only about Heschel's work but also abut the fundamental issues of religious phenomenology, hasidut, and other.
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Second, unless you live nearby or follow his lecturing closely, the opportunity to hear him from wherever you are is unprecedented.
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Third, you will find that the format of this tele-webinar, broken down into segments and sub-segments, brings the topic alive in ways few do.
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Fourth, if you are an educator, you'll be able to very quickly create a seminar of your own based on what you learn here; Rabbi Feinstein has already done all the "heavy lifting" for you: done the preparation and modeled the teaching techniques.
- Last, but not least, 100% of the profits from your virtual ticket purchase goes to support the reconstitution of the world's largest and most influential network of Jewish educators. That alone is a GREAT cause!
Q: How come you're charging money for this teleseminar when there is so much free stuff on the Internet?
A: In general, Our Learning Company produces a very unique, interactive, pedagogically superior learning environment rarely available anywhere else. We also engage absolutely top-of-the-line Jewish scholars, teachers, authors and thought leaders as our faculty. But specifically, this session, as part of NewCAJE's LEHRHAUS ONLINE, is a benefit for NewCAJE, and a way to support a new direction in making high quality Jewish learning available to a wide audience all year long.
Q: I don't know any Hebrew. Is that a problem?
A: Not at all. Everything is in English. If Rabbi Feinstein quotes a word or a phrase in Hebrew, he immediately translates it into English.
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