TISHA B'AV VIDEO OFFERS
PSYCHOLOGICAL READING OF LAMENTATIONS

Exploring the Psychological Effects of Tragedy

July 8, 1998 - Rabbi Eliezer said, "From the day that the Holy Temple was destroyed, an iron wall divided the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven." (Brachot, 32-B)

With the Talmudic "iron wall" as its theme, "Piercing the Iron Wall," a newly released Tisha B'Av video, takes viewers on an in-depth exploration of the age-old kinot, the stirring poetry expressing the collective anguish of the Jewish people in exile.

Narrated by noted Torah scholar and respected psychotherapist, Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, the video provides a powerful psychological reading of some of the lamentations that have inspired and moved generations of mourning Jews.

The one-hour-and-45-minute video, which was produced by the Orthodox Union (OU) and taped live during an actual Tisha B'Av service, features numerous topics including "The Iron Curtains of Arrogance, Habit and False Security," "The Power of Poetry," and "The Religious Response to the Holocaust."

"One of the objectives of the video is to make the seemingly esoteric texts palatable to a 90s audience, making it relevant to their own fears, anxieties and sense of alienation. In exploring the topic of Rabbi Akiva's martyrdom, for instance, I individualize and humanize the tragedy by focusing on Rabbi Akiva as a husband, a father, a teacher and a friend," said Rabbi Weinreb, the former Chief Psychologist at the Potomac Foundation for Mental Health who currently serves as the spiritual leader at Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore.

Drawing from diverse Torah scholars including Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik and the present day Slonimer Rebbe, Rabbi Weinreb weaves compelling interpretations, midrashim, stories and the writings of Holocaust survivors. "One of the most poignant lessons of Jeremiah is that the destruction of the Temple left lasting scars on our national psyche. Just as the Holocaust shattered our national sense of security and trust and made us all victims and survivors, so too the destruction of the Temple and the advent of exile has had a deep impact on our collective unconscious," said Rabbi Weinreb.

Ideal for the synagogue, school or home and available for only $18, Piercing the Iron Wall is sure to make your Tisha B'Av a powerful, meaningful one.

For more information, or to place an order, call (212) 613-8226.

The Orthodox Union, celebrating 100 years of service to the Jewish community of the United States and countries throughout the world, is a world leader in youth work, advocacy for the disabled, synagogue services, adult education and political action. Its kosher supervision label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 200,000 products in 56 countries around the globe.

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