R. Adin Steinsaltz on "The Challenge of Educating for Meaningful Tefillah"

On Tuesday, June 5th Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz spoke with a group of Torah educators about the challenges of inspiring our students to meaningfulness in our daily prayer. Rabbi Steinsaltz, the world reknowned teacher, scholar, and author, has written extensively on the topic of Jewish prayer. Among his best-selling works are a two-volume Hebrew compendium Ha-Tefillah ve-HaSiddur, available in English from Random House as A Guide to Jewish Prayer.

R. Steinsaltz responding to questions from ATID Fellows and Faculty at a dinner reception before his presentation.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz was born in Jerusalem in 1937. Alongside his Jewish studies and rabbinical ordination he also studied Mathematics and Chemistry at the Hebrew University. After graduating, he established a number of
experimental educational institutions in various parts of Israel and, at the age of 24, he was the youngest school principal in Israel.

In 1965, with the encouragement of Israeli President Zalman Shazar, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, and Knesset Chairman Kadish Luz, he founded The Israel Institute for Talmudic Publications, and since then he has been working on his monumental project of translating and reinterpreting the Talmud. This new edition of the Talmud, of which 30 volumes have thus far been published, has made the Talmud accessible to tens of thousands of Hebrew-speakers.

In 1989 he began producing an English Edition of this Talmud with Random House, Inc. The Talmud project has been acclaimed as the most important Judaica publication of the century. 

For more on the Talmud project, Click here.

In 1984, Rabbi Steinsaltz founded the Mekor Chaim Educational Institutions in Jerusalem, with 400 students from preschool through yeshiva high-school. These institutions strive to create integrated religious personalities capable of helping bridge the enormous gaps that have developed among the Jewish people.

In 1988, Rabbi Steinsaltz received the Israel Prize - Israel's highest
honor. In 1989 the Rabbi established a Russian branch of Mekor
Chaim the first Jewish institution to receive official recognition in the former Soviet Union. Since then, he has established in Moscow the Open Jewish University, the Lamed umbrella organization of teachers of Jewish tradition throughout the former Soviet Union, and the Institute for Leadership Training.

In November of 1995, Rabbi Steinsaltz was invited by the Chief Rabbis of
Russia and communal representatives to assume the position of "Duchovny Ravin," Spiritual Leader of Russian Jewry. In 1996, the inaugural Russian edition of the Steinsaltz Talmud was published -- the first to be printed in modern Russian. That summer, Rabbi Steinsaltz's commentary on Pirkei Avot was published in Chinese, by the Chinese National Academy of Social Sciences. The Rabbi also led seminars at the Universities of Shanghai and Beijing.

The Rabbi has written numerous books and articles dealing with a large variety of topics. His books and articles have been translated to English,
Russian, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Georgian, and even
Chinese and Japanese. 

For a list of his publications, Click here.

The Rabbi has developed a reputation as a profound spiritual leader who does not belong to any social, religious or political organization. His advice is sought by statesmen and by simple people and his opinions are frequently aired in the printed and electronic media. Rabbi Steinsaltz lives in Jerusalem with his wife, children and grandchildren.

Courtesy of www.steinsaltz.com