Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz Speaks at Young Israel of Jamaica Estates

The Jewish Press

July 01, 2005

In conjunction with the recent release of his latest book, WE JEWS: Who Are We and What Should We Do?, author and social critic Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz addressed a standing-room only crowd at Young Israel of Jamaica Estates on Monday, June 20, to explore the issue of "Do the Jews have a future?"

"The Bible promises that Jews will exist as long as the world exists," explained Rabbi Steinsaltz to the nearly 400 men and women who attended his lecture. "The question is not will Jews survive, but how will Jews survive."

Rabbi Steinsaltz also discussed the threats posed by assimilation and intermarriage, citing statistics that approximately one-third of American Jews today are affiliated with some sort of Jewish organization, one-third identify themselves as Jewish, and the remaining third deny their connection to Judaism altogether.

He stressed the urgent need for Jewish education, as well as outreach to unaffiliated, or "missing" Jews, calling on the audience to follow the example of the biblical Joseph, who searched diligently for his estranged brothers in an effort to reconnect with them.

Author, teacher, mystic, and scientist, Rabbi Steinsaltz is best known for his monumental translation and commentary on the Talmud, which is now published in Russian, French, English, and modern Hebrew, among other languages. He has been a resident scholar at Yale University, the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton, and the Woodrow Wilson Institute in Washington, D.C.

"The large and diverse crowd that Rabbi Steinsaltz drew is a testament to his unparalleled reach as an educator and spiritual mentor," said Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg, spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates. "It was truly an honor for us to host him in our synagogue."

For more information on Rabbi Steinsaltz's work, log on to www.steinsaltz.org.