A hybrid event (in-person and virtual) by Dr. Bernice Lerner 
About the Event:  In mid-April 1945, a small group of liberators entered Bergen-Belsen, where they found tens of thousands of unburied dead and 60,000 “displaced persons,” of whom 25,000 were in dire need of medical attention. What principles guided their leaders’ excruciating choices? What ethical questions consumed the men as they endeavored to feed the starved, control the spread of disease, and equip the largest hospital in Europe? Dr. Lerner will share astonishing stories about the unprecedented liberation–from the perspectives of both liberators and survivors, including 15-year-old Rachel Genuth, her mother. 
About the Speaker:  Bernice Lerner, Ed.D., is the author of All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl, a British Doctor, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen, and other writings on the Holocaust and virtue ethics. She is the former dean of adult learning at Hebrew College and a lecturer on the Holocaust and character education. *Zvi Asaria-Hermann Helfgott- Helping Survivors in Bergen-Belsen Video: https://youtu.be/cmxz6S0sobE?si=evvCmJylZESgysoH

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The Ethics of Rescue: True Stories Behind Bergen-Belsen’s Liberation

Jewish Ideas to Change the World delivers thought-provoking content by leading Jewish thinkers with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. It is produced by Valley Beit Midrash.

Valley Beit Midrash (VBM) is dedicated to social justice as driven by Torah ethics. VBM's mission is to improve lives through Jewish learning, direct action, and leadership development. 

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• Social Justice in the Parsha (weekly divrei Torah by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz)
• Pearls of Jewish Wisdom on Living with Kindness (Rabbi Shmuly's class series)

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A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Edward Bernstein 
The event was co-sponsored by BMH-BJ 
About the Event:  The fifth of the Ten Commandments is “Honor your father and mother.” It is one of the few commandments in the Torah that attaches a reward for its successful performance: “that your days may be long.” We might think that if we follow the command in our youth, clean our rooms, and do other things that our parents ask, we’ve checked that box. The reality is that honoring our parents is among the most difficult and grows in complexity as children—and their parents—age. Rabbi Bernstein will explore Jewish perspectives on the responsibilities of adult children to their aging parents and the true rewards we gain in fulfilling this mitzvah. 
About the Speaker:  Rabbi Edward Bernstein is a Board Certified Chaplain and serves as Chaplain for Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Boca Raton, Florida. He hosts NeshamaCast, a podcast exploring Jewish spiritual care, produced by Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also hosts the My Teacher Podcast. Rabbi Bernstein edited  Love Finer Than Wine: The Writings of Matthew Eisenfeld and Sara Duker, a 2016 National Jewish Book Awards Finalist.  Rabbi Bernstein was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He served congregations in New Rochelle, NY; Beachwood, OH; and Boynton Beach, FL. Rabbi Bernstein also served on the faculty of Camp Ramah Darom, Moishe House, and the JTS Florida Office.

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Beyond Cleaning Our Room: Responsibilities and Opportunities in Honoring Our Parents As They Age

A hybrid event by Rabbi Mike Feuer 
The event was co-hosted by Temple Chai 
About the event:  American Jewry stands at a crossroads. Facing such great risks and real opportunities requires clarity of vision, confidence in identity, and readiness for action. All of these are elements of a heroic stance. Join Rav Mike Feuer in an exploration of what Jewish heroism is, how it can be cultivated in our lives and communities, and what it offers to American Jews today. *Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1to-URZWkYMHWK8tdAbUorahw__Fgxdhq/view?usp=sharing 
About the Speaker:  Rav Mike Feuer is an educator, content creator, and spiritual counselor. He teaches and inspires people around the world through his Jewish Story History podcast and the newly launched Jewish Heroism Project. Whether working through teaching, content, or narrative therapy. Rav Mike’s mission is always the same – to tell a story of the past that upholds a present identity fit to build the future that we dream.

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What is Heroism for American Jews Today?

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz sat down with Rabbi Mike Feuer to discuss what victory looks like in today’s Israel-Gaza War. Rav Mike Feuer is an educator, content creator, and spiritual counselor. He teaches and inspires people around the world through his Jewish Story History podcast and the Jewish Heroism Project. Whether working through teaching, content, or narrative therapy Rav Mike’s mission is always the same – to tell a story of the past that upholds a present identity fit to build the future of which we dream.

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A Conversation with Rabbi Mike Feuer: What Does Victory Look Like in Today’s Israel-Gaza War?

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Dr. Gil Gershon Tivon and Dr. Shirli Regev 
The event was co-sponsored by Beth El Phoenix 
About the Event:  Compassion, kindness & dignity are the three key ingredients needed in most human communications and relationships. They underline emotional intelligence and imply the presence of our soul and heart in human interactions. 
About the Speakers:  Rabbi Dr. Gil Gershon Tivon received his rabbinical ordination from the chief rabbinate of Israel, as well as a Rabbinical judge. He served as a community Rabbi in South Africa, Israel, and Arizona, USA, serving a wide spectrum of religious Jewish observance of all walks of life. He serves as a Rabbi, certified chaplain, and the Spiritual Director at Spiritual Care Hospice. He has a Ph.D. in Holistic Counseling and Pastoral Psychology. He is a certified Mediator, psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and book author. 
Dr. Shirli Regev is a mentor, author, hypnotherapy certified therapist (Transformational Therapy), chaplain, and spiritual care provider with 25 years of experience. She holds two PhDs in Holistic Counseling & Pastoral Counseling Psychology. She holds a Master’s degree in Coaching Education (Ohio University) and a Bachelor’s degree in Business (Touro University) and Special Education (Beth Berel Israel). She has written eight books about self-development, spirituality, and growth, some of which she co-authored with Dr. Rabbi Gil Tivon. Today, she is a Holistic Counseling Doctor.

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Compassion, Kindness & Dignity

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller 
The event was co-sponsored by Temple Emanuel  
About the Event:  In this seminar, we will consider how we’ve arrived at this moment of an outpouring of anti-Jewish venom on campus and what can be done to reintroduce civility and mutual respect between the alienated and offended groups. What is the underlying cause of this explosion of hostility and what is the University’s responsibility to address the issue? A sober and nuanced assessment by a 50-year veteran of the campus wars. 
About the Speaker:  Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller is a faculty member at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. He recently celebrated 40 years of working with students and faculty as the Executive Director of the Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA, where he is now Director Emeritus. 
Chaim was ordained at Yeshiva University where he completed a Masters in Rabbinic Literature. He has been a lecturer in the Departments of Sociology and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA and the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University. He is a faculty member of the Wexner Heritage Foundation. Chaim was the founding director of the Hartman Fellowship for Hillel Professionals and a founding member of Americans for Peace Now. 
Chaim was a rabbinic consultant to Barbra Streisand while making the film Yentl. He and his wife Dr. Doreen Seidler-Feller, a clinical psychologist, are the parents of two children.

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The Ethics of Rescue: True Stories Behind Bergen-Belsen’s Liberation

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