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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

U.S.
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Expertise

Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.

Experience in the area

I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)

What do you like about this subject?

I have always enjoyed sharing my enthusiasm for learning about our Jewish heritage with members of the Jewish community and with others who are interested in our tradition. I have always enjoyed asking questions, and I appreciate the opportunity to research answers to answer the questions of others - that's a special opportunity and blessing.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

I enjoy most studying the classical texts - the primary text and commentaries - of our Rabbis and Sages carefully and closely, mining them for hints and bits about life as it was lived by Jews thousands of years ago, their questions and their problems as they searched for meaning in the face of challenge. It's like "literary archaeology."

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

I am fascinated by the fact that Jews have always had an enthusiasm about questioning their tradition, especially the texts (now written but have been oral and also in "scraps" of written records). I am impressed by our recovery from various resources - e.g. Cairo Geniza - the consistency of questions over the past several thousand years - generation after generation. People don't really change.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

I am still hoping that as we continue to "dig" in the texts of our tradition and research the origins of early Christianity and Islam, we will discover much more than we know now about the origins of modern Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

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    K = Knowledgeability    C = Clarity of Response    T = Timeliness    P = Politeness
UserDateKCTPComments
Patrick11/05/0910101010 
Ellis10/31/0910101010Thoughtful, clear and timely response. Thank you .....
marian10/19/0910101010WOW...that was a quick response. i'll .....
Alex09/30/0910101010Thanks for the reply
Jerry09/22/0910101010Thank you so much for your thoughtful .....

Recent Answers from Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

2009-11-02 belief:

Dear Marc, Thanks for writing. The anwer(s) is(are) yes and no. Judaism has a wide spectrum of beliefs or speculations about what happens at death, ranging from death is the end of the individual

2009-10-30 Jews in churches:

Dear Ellis, Thank you for writing. Yes, there are some Rabbis and movements who might say that there is a prohibition against entering a church, even for art history. But they also say that it is

2009-10-28 Conversion help from the south:

Dear Patrick, Thanks for responding. I suspect that perhaps no Rabbi is there, but not too far away is Bethe David in 804 Winview Terrace Greensboro, North Carolina 27410 336-294-0007 Rabbi

2009-10-25 Halacha for cemetery ground:

Dear Burton, Thank you for writing, but this is an issue for a community and its Rabbi(s). I would not interfere with their authority. If there is no Rabbi and you are concerned about the Conservative

2009-10-22 education in Biblical times:

Dear Jim, Thank you for writing. A quick answer: Perhaps Moses and other privileged upper classes were tuaght to read and perhaps even write, but the majority were only educated in oral traditions

 

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