Kenneth Kaufman
Kenny (Yitzchak) Kaufman has served as a college campus rabbi for Hillel, Aish HaTorah, and Touro College, and as a coordinator of Jewish programming for teenagers. He founded and directed Kulanu in the Los Angeles area, and he has organized community classes, celebrations, concerts, kosher camping trips, retreats and seminars. He also has served as a principal, and he has taught all ages in various Talmud Torah schools, yeshiva day schools, adult education programs, and senior centers. He has a secular background in psychology, political science, and social work. He promotes Jewish unity and diversity, and the importance of chesed and social responsibility. He has a passion for his family and people in general, and he enjoys nature and scenic beauty, music, sports, and a good argument.
TEEN: Ask the Rabbi Anything…Really, Anything
Kenneth Kaufman,
David Levin-Kruss
Teen Approved
Attention teens: calling all doubters, cynics, thinkers and believers. Take this chance to offer up the questions that have been driving you crazy and benefit from the wisdom of our Rabbis. Note: this session is for teens only.
The Key to Jewish Survival
Identity and Responsibility,
Text and Thought,
Teen Approved
Mark Twain once wrote, “All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” What secret ingredient enables the Jewish people to survive despite seemingly overwhelming odds against them? Using the original Biblical text (provided in Hebrew and English), we will look at some perplexing difficulties in the story of Joseph’s brothers coming to Egypt. The resolution of those difficulties will provide a dramatic answer to our question and show how our ancestors worked to assure that we would indeed have this secret ingredient.
The Importance of Eretz Yisrael
Global History and Culture,
Israel
Why does Eretz Yisrael (The Land of Israel) matter so much to the Jewish people? Couldn’t we achieve our purpose as Jews in the world without Eretz Yisrael? We will learn about Moshe’s plea to God to allow him to enter Eretz Yisrael before he dies, and God’s response to him, to gain a deeper sense of how we connect to Eretz Yisrael. As time allows, we can segue into some discussion of whether or how we can justify our claim to the land, when -- if ever -- we can justify killing others who contest our claim, and what to make of the current political climate regarding the State of Israel.
