My Teacher Podcast

Ruth Messinger is Global Ambassador of American Jewish World Service, having served nearly two decades as its president. Prior to her tenure at AJWS, she had a career in New York City politics.  She served on the New York City Council, was Manhattan Borough President and was the Democratic nominee for Mayor in 1997.

Ruth cites many teachers throughout her extensive career including her mother, Marjorie Wyler, who had her own distinguished career in broadcasting production and public presentation for the Jewish Theological Seminary, including the Emmy Award-winning program, The Eternal Light .

For a thorough history of The Eternal Light, see: Jeffrey Shander and Elihu Katz, “Broadcasting American Judaism: The Radio and Television Department of the Jewish Theological Seminary,” Jack Wertheimer, Ed., Tradition Renewed: A History of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Volume 2: Beyond the Academy (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary, 1997), pp. 365-401.

In The Eternal Light’s run of more than 40 years on radio and television, one of the most memorable programs featured the 1972 interview of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel filmed shortly before Rabbi Heschel’s death. Ruth discusses Rabbi Heschel as another one of her most influential teachers.

For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected].

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A full bio of Rabbi Vernon Kurtz appears here. He was born in Toronto, Canada, received his BA from York University (1971), his MA and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary (1976), and his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Chicago Theological Seminary (1981). He also received a Doctor of Divinity degree (Honoris Causa) from the Jewish Theological Seminary (2003).

From 1976 to 1988, Rabbi Kurtz served as Assistant Rabbi and Rabbi of Congregation Rodfei Zedek in the Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. Rabbi Kurtz then served 31 years as Rabbi of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, IL, where he is now Rabbi Emeritus. He is an internationally recognized rabbi, scholar and Jewish communal leader. Rabbi Kurtz now lives in Jerusalem after he and his wife Bryna made aliyah (immigration) to Israel in 2019.

Publications:

• Read blog entries by Rabbi Kurtz posted in the Times of Israel
• Rabbi Vernon Kurtz honored at 2010 JUF Annual Meeting
• Encountering Torah, Reflections on the Weekly Torah Portion, by Rabbi Vernon Kurtz – This special book was published by Rabbi Kurtz in honor of the 25th Anniversary of his rabbinate at Beth El. He has chosen two sermons on almost every Torah portion and assembled them in this book. It represents his understanding not only of the lessons of Torah, but the lessons of life. It is a beautiful example of Jewish thought and contemporary book publishing. See Rabbi Kurtz’s bio at NSSBE web site for information about how to purchase book.

Rabbi Ralph Simon (1906-1996) spent 44 years as Rabbi of Congregation Rodfei Zedek in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL.

His Chicago Tribune obituary appears here.

Rabbi Simon’s granddaughter Susannah Hoffs of the band The Bangles paid tribute to her grandfather on Instagram in 2019 with a photo of Rabbi Simon with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on March 25, 1968 at the Rabbinical Assembly Convention at which Rabbi Simon presided as president of the RA. A transcript of Dr. King’s public dialogue at the RA Convention with Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Everett Gendler was published in Conservative Judaism Journal, 22:3, 1968, pp. 1-19. This was one of Dr. King’s final major public appearances prior to his assassination ten days later on April 4.
 

André LaCocque is Professor Emeritus of Hebrew Bible at Chicago Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, and the founding Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Studies at CTS. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Ruth: A Continental Commentary (Augsburg Fortress), Esther Regina: A Bakhtinian Reading (Northwestern University Press), and the trilogy on innocence in the Hebrew Bible, The Trial of Innocence: Adam, Eve and the Yahwist (Wipf and Stock), Onslaught Against Innocence: Cain, Abel and the Yahwist, Jesus the Central Jew and The Captivity of Innocence: Babel and the Yahwist (both from Cascade). He also coauthored Thinking Biblically:Exegetical and Hermeneutical Studies with Paul Ricoeur.

Dr. LaCocque discusses his book Jesus the Central Jew in this 2015 symposium. 

Here is Rabbi Kurtz’s review of Prof. Andre Lacocque's "Jesus, the Central Jew".

For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected].

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Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove, PhD, has served as the Spiritual Leader of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York since 2008.

Ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1999, Rabbi Cosgrove earned his PhD at the University of Chicago Divinity School. His dissertation, Teyku: The Insoluble Contradictions in the Life and Thought of Louis Jacobs examines the life and legacy of one of the leading Anglo-Jewish theologians of the 20th century and reflects his own passion for the intersection of Jewish scholarship and faith.

Rabbi Cosgrove is the author of ten collections of selected sermons, In the Beginning (2009), An Everlasting Covenant (2010), Go Forth! (2011), Hineni (2012), A Place to Lodge (2013), Living Waters (2014), Stairway to Heaven (2015), Rise Up! (2016), A Coat of Many Colors (2017), and Provisions for the Way (2018). He is the editor of Jewish Theology in Our Time: A New Generation Explores the Foundations and Future of Jewish Belief, hailed as a provocative and inspiring collection of essays by leading rabbis and scholars.

Rabbi Cosgrove is a recognized leader in Conservative Judaism, the broader Jewish community, and the community-at-large. He sits on the Chancellor's Cabinet of JTS and on the Editorial Board of Conservative Judaism. A member of the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly, he is also an officer of the New York Board of Rabbis and a member of the Board of UJA-Federation of New York. He serves as Rabbinical Advisor on Interfaith Affairs for the ADL and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Rabbi Cosgrove also serves on the Board of Trustees of Hillel at the University of Michigan and on the National Board of Governors of Hillel at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rabbi Cosgrove was honored to represent the Jewish community at the National September 11 Memorial Museum during the visit of Pope Francis to New York in September 2015.

Rabbi Louis Jacobs was born July 17, 1920.

An overview of his illustrious life can be found in Rabbi Louis Jacobs' New York Times Obituary by Ari L. Goldman, July 9, 2006.

Another recent overview of his biography and scholarship, that draws on Rabbi Cosgrove’s dissertation, is: “Louis Jacobs: We Have Reason to Believe,” by Prof.Marc Zvi Brettler,Prof.Edward Breuer in TheTorah.com.

The website louisjacobs.org makes available resources pertaining to the life and work of Rabbi Jacobs including an extensive archive of essays, articles and videos.

The clip featured in the podcast is taken from this video retrospective in which Rabbi Jacobs surveys the nearly 50 books he wrote.

Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove delivered a lecture on Rabbi Jacobs at Oxford  in 2010. 

For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected]. 

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Jonathan Wolf, a Jewish educator and activist based in Evanston, IL, reflects on the life and legacy of his father, Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, of blessed memory, in an extended My Teacher Podcast Father’s Day edition. 

Additional Resources:
 

The Prophetic Voice of Rabbi AJ Wolf--Civil Rights, Study Guide compiled by Rabbi Ed Bernstein

The Prophetic Voice of Rabbi AJ Wolf--Zionism, Study Guide compiled by Rabbi Ed Bernstein

New York Times Obituary for AJ Wolf

Rabbi Wolf recalls Dr. Martin Luther King's visit to Solel (This clip of an interview from circa 1996 is the only piece of this interview that can be found on YouTube as of publication of this podcast. Rabbi Ed Bernstein is seeking footage of this entire interview and information about its filming. Please contact Rabbi Bernstein at [email protected] if you have any information.)
 

Here’s an article about Solel’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s address at the congregation on June 30, 1966, during a year in which Dr. King resided in Chicago to advocate for fair housing.
 

Rabbi AJ Wolf calls for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, filmed shortly before his death December 23, 2008. 

"My Neighbor, Barack"

Additional Suggested Reading:

Wolf, Jonathan, Ed., Unfinished Rabbi: Selected Writings of Arnold Jacob Wolf (Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1998).

Glossary of Hebrew/Jewish terms, acronyms and organizations in podcast:

CLAL (Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, promoting pluralism and cooperation among Jewish denominations)

New CAJE (Coalition for the Advancement in Jewish Education)

Kibitz: Speak informally; chat

HUC: Hebrew Union College, Reform Judaism’s rabbinic seminary. Rabbi Wolf was ordained at HUC’s first—and at that time only—campus in Cincinnati. HUC now has additional campuses in New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.

Lashon Hara—literally, an “evil tongue,” refers to gossip and slander.

Sh'ma: A Journal of Jewish Ideas

For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected]. 

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It is traditional on Shavuot, "the season for the giving of the Torah" to study Torah throughout the night on Shavuot night in a ceremony called "Tikkun Leil Shavuot." This year, due to COVID-19, most communities are not able to gather in synagogues for Shavuot beginning Thursday night, May 28. 

The Rabbinical Assembly, the association of Conservative Rabbis, produced a series of pre-recorded video study sessions. Here's the full playlist. 

Here is Rabbi Bernstein's video. 

Here is Rabbi Bernstein's study sheet.

The Rabbinical Assembly will also broadcast a live Tikkun Leil Shavuot: Thursday, May 28, 9 PM - Friday, May 29, 9 AM EDT broadcast on YouTube Live at www.tinyurl.com/RATikkun

Fred Rogers' 2002 Commencement Address at Dartmouth College

For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected]. 

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Episode 2: Austin Kaufman

Austin Kaufman is the International President of United Synagogue Youth.

He lives in Irvine, CA. He plans to study in the Nativ College leadership gap year in Israel program in 2020-2021, followed by Harvard College.
 

Since this interview was recorded in April, USY announced cancellation of its summer travel programs for Summer 2020.

Read Austin Kaufman’s full campaign speech: The Three C's of USY

Clips from “My First Standup Routine,” by Austin Kaufman provided to My Teacher Podcast by Austin Kaufman.

Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields has served as Executive Director of the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism since 2018. Prior to that, she led congregations in the Chicago area and in Tom’s River, NJ. She is a member of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, which sets policy on Jewish legal matters for Conservative Judaism. She graduated the Double-Degree Program between Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and received Rabbinic ordination from JTS.

Rabbi Wolintz-Fields has also served as the co-chair of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Women's Committee and is the Women’s League representative to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. 

She has been invited to deliver opening prayers at the United States House of Representatives, the New Jersey Senate, the New Egypt Speedway, and the Ocean County College Commencement. She can often be found reading, catching up on Daf Yomi (Daily Talmud study), cheering her daughter at her high school varsity basketball games, and during NASCAR season - watching with her son who is an avid fan! 

Together with her husband Jonathan, they are the proud parents of three children, and live in Ocean Township, New Jersey.

A biography of Rabbi Wolintz-Fields’s teacher, Rabbi Benjamin Z Kreitman appears here: Obituary of Rabbi Benjamin Z. Kreitman

Editor's note: Subsequent to the publication of this episode, My Teacher Podcast received the following message from Jamie Kreitman, daughter of Rabbi Benjamin Z. Kreitman, that her father's date of birth noted in the Masorti Olami obituary and cited in the podcast discussion is incorrect. She said:

"[Rabbi Kreitman was born on] Dec. 27, 1918 in Warsaw, Poland. He emigrated with his mother when he was 3 years old and settled in Louisville, KY. His father, a rabbi and schochet, had already settled there with the rest of the Kreitman family." 
 

Glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms used in this conversation that were not promptly translated during interview:

Bashert—Yiddish term referring to a person's soulmate, especially when considered as an ideal or predestined marriage partner.
 

Bimah—platform or stage in synagogue from where prayers are led.
 

Kaddish—the Mourner’s Kaddish, a prayer traditionally recited at a funeral and in synagogue services during prescribed periods of mourning or on the anniversary of the death of a loved one.

Mesader Kiddushin—The officiant (usually a rabbi) presiding at a Jewish wedding

Madrikh—literally, “leader.” Also refers to a rabbi’s manual, a book with a collection of prayers for various occasions that rabbis carry with them for lifecycle events. Both usages included in this conversation.
 

Shul—synagogue, synagogue services

Emily McDonnell recently graduated Arizona State University with a master's degree in public administration. Emily actively pursues opportunities to merge her Navajo and Jewish identities and enjoys facilitating and participating in discussions related to Judaism and race. She is a 2017 Humanity in Action fellow and co-facilitated an intercultural dialogue between Jews and Native Americans on the topics of historical trauma and collective resistance for her action project. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Emily was an intern at the Heard Museum.

Emily's April 2020 essay “My Community’s Uphill Battle Against COVID-19” was published by Humanity in Action. 

In the podcast, Emily discusses wisdom she received growing up in  Navajo Nation, as well as the influence of her current spiritual mentors Rabbi Yonatan Halevy and Sarah Elisheva (pseudonym). To respect the privacy of her community, Emily chose to not publicly name anyone on the reservation.

For questions and comments, email Rabbi Ed Bernstein at [email protected]. 

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Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! In upcoming pilot season of the My Teacher Podcast, we will meet three engaging leaders, Emily McDonnell, Austin Kaufman, and Rabbi Ellen Wolintz-Fields, each with stories to tell about their inspiring teachers. Episodes with full interviews drop in major podcast distribution channels May 24. Subscribe today.