Scholar-in-Residence

March 17, 2023 - 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

B’nai Israel is excited to welcome Rabbi Menachem Creditor as our Scholar-in-Residence March 17-18!

Rabbi Menachem Creditor serves as the Pearl and Ira Meyer Scholar in Residence at UJA-Federation New York and was the founder of Rabbis Against Gun Violence. An acclaimed author, scholar, and speaker with over 2 million views of his online videos and essays, he was named by Newsweek as one of the fifty most influential rabbis in America. His 30 published books and 6 albums of original music include the global anthem “Olam Chesed Yibaneh” and the COVID-era 2-volume anthology “When We Turned Within.” He and his wife Neshama Carlebach live in New York, where they are raising their five children. Below you’ll find a few highlights of Rabbi Creditor’s weekend with us:

The Soul of Israel

Friday, March 17, 8:00 p.m. (Following Shabbat Dinner)

Jewish conversations regarding Israel often focus on geopolitics, antisemitism, anti-Zionism and Israeli current events. All of these necessary priorities demand attention. But what is then missing from Jewish discourse is the inspiration, the “why” behind The Jewish State, which can only partially be understood as a response to persecution. How did the founders of Political Zionism, Cultural Zionism, Religious Zionism – and others – dream? What observations might they make regarding the state of contemporary Israel’s soul? Through selected writings, Rabbi Creditor will present a glimpse into the visions of Zionism’s founding architects Theodore Herzl, Achad Ha’am, and Rav Kook. 

Please join us that evening for Shabbat dinner! Dinner is $20/person. Please RSVP to Susie Hallman, shallman@cbibpt.org.​

The Wisdom of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel​

Saturday, March 18, 9:30 a.m. 

Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972), rabbi, philosopher, and social activist, stood in solidarity with Soviet Jewry, marched with Martin Luther King Jr from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 for civil rights, and was the most visible Jewish voice in the anti–Vietnam War movement. Through prolific and passionate writing, teaching and activism, he changed the face of American Judaism forever. In honor of the 50^th anniversary since Heschel’s passing, Rabbi Creditor will present an exploration of Heschel’s writings on Civil Rights, Religion, War and Spirituality.