Rabbi Avraham Edelstein

The Kiruv world has mekareved significant numbers of people. Yet, not only have we not acted to reduce the intermarriage rate; we have not even managed to stabilize it.[1] In part, this is because our vision has been too limited and our goals (for many of us) have been elsewhere (facilitating Shomrei Shabbos Jews). Yet,... Read more »

It is a truism that someone who truly lacks nothing will not seek out Judaism. Everyone who seeks out Judaism is searching for something that they sense they are lacking. Should we also presume that the greater the lack, the greater the Kiruv opportunity? A longitudinal study has compared nearly 50 years of trends in public opinion data.

The Kiruv Movement fails to take advantage of the valuable studies done on the Jewish community at the cost of tens of millions of dollars. Many of these studies point to practical programming opportunities that would change and upgrade the way we do Kiruv. One common denominator to all studies is that most Jews – even intermarried ones

There is a vast gap between establishing a goal for Kiruv and measuring that goal. Hence, there is a difference between the question “what is the goal of Kiruv” and the question “what comprises success in kiruv?” Moreover, what is

Please note: All economic figures were quoted as of the week ending June 19th. There is a global economic crisis and this is true of America too and it is going to hit Kiruv organizations like a ton of bricks. Think I am exaggerating? The stock market doesn’t look so bad? Employment seems to be improving. Read on.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a local Minneapolis store, was killed by a policeman, later charged with 2nd degree murder. Bystanders took a video that went viral, of the officer using his knee to pin Mr. Floyd by his neck, and recorded him repeatedly saying, “I... Read more »

The Mishnah, at the end of Horayos, teaches the laws of triage. Those principles convey the guidelines of determining whose life to save first when a rescuer encounters multiple people whose physical lives are in danger. Is there spiritual triage?

Ibn Ezra explains that the reason we are obligated to love our fellow Jew is because we recognize that we were both created by the same Maker. Hence the verse, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” concludes with the words, “I am G-d” (Vayikra 19:18) — our love of our fellow man is inextricably... Read more »

Every outreach professional knows that his job is not done until he sees his student standing under the chuppah, about to establish a Torah home. At the same time, marriage and married life brings with it many delicate halachic questions for the kiruv professional.

Already well before the outreach movement gained momentum, b’nei Torah moved to out-of-town communities with the berachos of Torah leadership. Each case required its own query, each answer tailor-made to the circumstances of the

Pages By: Rabbi Avraham Edelstein

Understanding American Intermarriage

Is Americans’ Increasing Unhappiness a Kiruv Opportunity?

The Future of Jewish Community Building – Some New Ideas

What is the Goal of Kiruv Rechokim?

The Huge Decision Nonprofits Need to Make Now Because of COVID-19

The Ethics of Protest

NEW from the Laws of Outreach: The Final Installment – Triage in Kiruv

NEW from the Laws of Outreach: Loving and Hating All in One

NEW from the Laws of Outreach: Marriage

NEW from the Laws of Outreach: Raising Children When Engaging in Outreach

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