|
Philosophy as well as an M.S. from Columbia University (Teachers' College) in Education Administration.
For over twenty years, Rav Weinberger was a Rebbe at Ezra Academy in Queens where he touched the lives of hundreds of young men and women and drew so many back to yiddishkeit. Many of his former students are moving to Woodmere with their families to continue their relationships with Rav Weinberger at Aish Kodesh.
Rav Weinberger is a frequent contributor to such publications as RJJ's Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society and OU's Jewish Action. Rav Weinberger is the author of Jewish Outreach - a Halakhic Perspective, K'tav Press, 1990. He is also a sought-after lecturer, speaking and serving as scholar-in-residence all over the United States and Eretz Yisrael.
Rav Weinberger has also been intimately involved in Jewish Outreach with such organizations as the Jewish Renaissance Center, Jewish Heritage Center, Hashevaynu, Ohr Samayach, NCSY, and JEP.
Rav Weinberger has developed a library of more than 820 Torah Tapes on T'filah, Chassidus, Hashkafah and the Aish Kodesh, among others, that are heard by men and women all over the world.
Rav Weinberger's Message
Our Bais Medrash (house of learning) is named "Aish Kodesh Institute" (holy fire) after the last sefer (writings) of the holy Rebbe R. Kalonymous Kalman Shapiro of Piazeczna. The Rebbe was truly a holy fire sent to warm the hearts and illuminate the minds of a broken generation. In the depth of the darkness, he remained firmly loyal to his unshakable faith in the immortality of Knesses Yisroel (the Jewish people) and the exaltedness of the Jewish soul. This great man wrote:
"…As the Jew continues to give of himself over to G-d, then G-d's yearning for us is aroused, and that divine yearning is more than just reciprocal, more than measure for measure; it's greater than I am. Since G-d's yearning for me is in a measure larger than me, I grow to become a greater human being, I now overshadow my essence… We must imbue every aspect of our lives with this sense of "I am my beloved's." This means, first of all, that we must fulfill the Torah and Mitzvos (commandments) in thought, word, and deed. We should realize that G-d created us for that purpose. Even the person who is forced to engage in business or labor for most of the day…can still view his divine service in Torah and Tefilah (prayer) as his reason for being…"
Our generation has been resurrected from the ashes of Auschwitz and Treblinka, yet we have fallen into a state of spiritual numbness, a life of cold prayers, empty Mitzvos, rote learning, and an overall sense of spiritual alienation. The Baal Shem Tov spoke of a time when there would be "double concealment." In the Holocaust, Jewish bones were crushed under the weight of Hester Panim - Divine concealment. In our "enlightened" times, Jewish souls are deceived by the delusion of "double concealment." We offer lifeless prayers in the midst of animated personal conversation and drag ourselves through the details of Orthodox Judaism. We have forgotten the purpose of life, while observing its regulations. We have lost our sense of divine yearning and subsequently have stopped yearning ourselves. We proceed cheerfully with the business of establishing more Jewish institutions and supporting more Jewish causes, not realizing that the essence of Judaism eludes us. Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev once gathered all the Jews of Berditchev in the main synagogue, rose to the bima (center platform) and called out: "Jews, do not forget, there is a G-d in heaven!!!"
To this end our Bais Medrash was established - to stop the inertia of apathy, to tear away at least one mask of concealment and call out "There is a G-d in heaven!" May Hashem help us remain faithful to the noble ideals of our namesake - the Aish Kodesh - and to witness together with all Israel the final redemption, may it come speedily in our days!
Back to Top |
