Renowned storyteller Rabbi Hanoch Teller will be here next week, Jan. 9 and 10, as BIAV’s scholar in residence. Having been dubbed a “globe-trotting modern-day maggid,” Rabbi Teller has enthralled audiences on five continents, in more than 40 American states and 24 other countries. He is known to deliver a precious message imbued with joy and drama, laughter and pathos. Even Dr. Mehmet Oz has praised him as “The greatest, and certainly the most entertaining, storyteller.”

Rabbi Teller said to the best of his recollection he has been to the Kansas City area three times before. BIAV’s Rabbi Dani Rockoff said the community’s only Orthodox congregation is thrilled to once again host Rabbi Teller.

“This is a very special weekend dedicated in memory of Allen Wurzburger z’l as we also celebrate the dedication of our new Beit Midrash. The community is encouraged and welcome to attend Rabbi Teller’s talks throughout the weekend,” Rabbi Rockoff said.

Rabbi Teller’s first appearance in the area will be during the day Friday when he will speak at Taste of Shabbat at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy. He will also visit several classrooms in the lower school.

As BIAV’s scholar in residence, Rabbi Teller will speak four times, the first at a private event Friday evening, Jan. 10. On Saturday he will speak at 11 a.m. at BIAV, “We’re Too Small a People to be a Small People.” Later that afternoon he will speak at a Seuda Shlishit taking place at 5 p.m. following mincha at 4:20 p.m. “To Dream the Impossible Scheme: The Founding of Israel’s Most Improbable Community.” The final event of the weekend will be the Beit Midrash Dedication Saturday night where Rabbi Teller will speak on the topic “Honorable Mentschen.” That evening the sponsors of the Beit Midrash project will also be recognized. The weekend’s events and speaker are sponsored by Irene Wurzburger and Howard and Brenda Rosenthal to honor the memory of Allen Wurzburger z’l.

Rabbi Teller subtitles his “Honorable Mentschen,” talk as “A Primer for Character Development.”

“We all know certain politeness and pleasantness that everyone knows, but it’s always good to hear reminders,” he said.

Born in Vienna and educated in the United States, Rabbi Teller moved to Israel in 1975. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, their children and grandchildren and continues to study at Mirrer Yeshiva.

In addition to storytelling, Rabbi Teller is a man of many talents. He is a prolific author whose critically-acclaimed books (28 at last count) have sold more than a quarter-of-a-million copies worldwide and are translated into five languages. He has also written and produced two popular documentaries: “Do You Believe in Miracles?” and “Reb Elimelech and the Chassidic Legacy of Brotherhood.”

The rabbi wrote, directed and produced “Reb Elimelech and the Chassidic Legacy of Brotherhood” in 2012 and screenings for it are currently taking him all over the world. Not available for private sale, the documentary has been screened on five continents before capacity audiences. He said the theme of the movie is “ahavas Yisrael, love for our fellow man.”

Rabbi Teller’s wide array of audio lectures on spiritual giants, the lessons of the Holocaust and the birth of the modern city of Bene Brak and various other subjects have been hailed as “audio and pedagogic classics.”

In addition to all this, for decades Rabbi Teller has served as a senior docent at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. He’s currently working on some new projects, but in a short conversation from his home in Israel last week he said it’s too soon to discuss them.

For those who have never heard Rabbi Teller speak before, he suggests they come “prepared to enjoy.”

“But I have a message. There’s a group of so-called Jewish storytellers and they tell stories that are loosely connected to Judaism but it’s just entertainment. It’s definitely an art and a practice. But I don’t do that. If I tell something, it has to have a message to it,” he said.

“Humbly I think I do tell a story well but it always has to have a message to it,” he said. “I’m going to convey a message but I think it will be in a very, very entertaining way.

BIAV to dedicate Beit Midrash

On Saturday night Jan. 10, during the final event featuring BIAV’s scholar in residence, Rabbi Hanoch Teller, the Orthodox congregation will dedicate its Beit Midrash and in general celebrate the completion of several projects.

Howard Rosenthal, who is sponsoring the weekend’s events, including Rabbi Teller’s presentations along with his wife Brenda and Irene Wurzburger in memory of Allen Wurzburger, explained that within the past year BIAV has balanced its budget and nearly completely paid off its mortgage.

“During this time we’ve also welcomed many new young families with children who have moved into our community and joined our shul. In addition, we have been blessed with the return of many of our now-married children moving back to the community and establishing homes for themselves,” Rosenthal said.

As all this was happening, Rosenthal said BIAV performed a “needs assessment” and found “that we were in need of a major Beit Midrash update as well as moving and updating our rabbi’s offices and administrator’s offices. The kitchen also needed a total remodel.”

“With the last of the updates (kitchen) scheduled to be completed within the next couple of weeks, we felt that this was the right time to dedicate the Beit Midrash. This is really more akin to a Chanukat HaBayit, or dedication of a new home in other words, introducing it and its features to the community and our members,” Rosenthal said.

Basically, according to Rosenthal, BIAV deconstructed the administrative and chapel area of the old synagogue and totally rebuilt new offices, a conference room and the Beit Midrash.

“The Beit Midrash serves as our weekday chapel and is used for services daily. During services, as well as before and after, various congregants gather and learn and study. The entire room is bounded by beautiful bookshelves complete with numerous seforim (books) and study utensils,” he said.

One hallmark feature, Rosenthal said, is BIAV’s new “e-Beit Midrash.”

“We have an iPad loaded with essentially every Judaic sefer ever printed. It has multiple versions of the entire Talmud, Tanach, commentators, Halachah, virtual Jerusalem tours and everything needed for any student of any level to gain knowledge through this e-Beit Midrash. Cross referencing and this sheer volume of Torah knowledge has broadened everyone’s ability to learn more, and at their convenience,” Rosenthal explained.

Major donors to the Beit Midrash will be recognized at Saturday evening’s dedication. For more information about the weekend, contact the BIAV office at 913-341-2444.