Rabbi Avraham (Avi) Weiss, the founder and president of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School and senior rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (New York), will be Kehilath Israel Synagogue’s scholar in residence the weekend of Nov. 9. This is the first weekend of the new Caviar Family Jewish Scholar in Residence Series.
For the fifth consecutive year, Rabbi Weiss was named among the top 50 influential rabbis in the United States by Newsweek and The Daily Beast, ranking him No. 11 in 2012. The magazine noted that as senior rabbi at the 850-member Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Rabbi Weiss is considered the father of “Open Orthodoxy,” which maintains strict observance while also expanding its definition. He founded YCT in 1999 and one of its graduates, K.I.’s new senior Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, was also listed among the 2012 top rabbis in the country at No. 40. In 2009 he founded Yeshiva Maharat, the first seminary for Orthodox women spiritual leaders.
Rabbi Weiss is no stranger to activism and served as the National Chairman of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry, and is the National President of AMCHA — the Coalition for Jewish Concerns. He has also authored two books: “Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women’s Prayer Groups” and “Principles of Spiritual Activism.”
The rabbi will make five presentations at K.I. The schedule, and his topics, include:
Friday night, Nov. 9: 7 to 7:30 p.m. — “Spiritual Activism!”
Shabbat morning sermon, Nov.10, 10:30 a.m. — “Love & Growth: Human Relationships!”
Shabbat afternoon (se’udah shlisheet), 5 p.m. — “Open Orthodoxy”
Saturday night kumzitz (songs and story-telling), 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Sunday morning, Nov. 11, 10 to 11 a.m. —“Challenges facing the Jewish people today”
All events are free and open to the entire community. For more information call the K.I. office at 913-642-1880.