December 8, 2004

14th Annual West Coast Region Torah Convention Brings Scholars from Across the Country to Focus on ‘God’s Role in Our World, Our Role in God’s World’

Thursday, December 23 – Sunday, December 26

Leading Torah personalities from across the country will converge on Los Angeles for the Orthodox Union’s annual West Coast Region Torah Convention, exploring “God’s Role in Our World: Our Role in God’s World.” This year’s convention, which will be held from December 23 through 26, marks the 14th consecutive year that the West Coast Region will hold this exciting and interactive form of Torah learning.

“The Convention is our annual opportunity to participate in a very significant experience, including leading rabbanim (rabbis) and roshei yeshiva (senior scholars of yeshivas) from beyond California,” declared West Coast Region President Dr. Larry Eisenberg, who has played an integral part in planning the Convention. “The Convention is a tremendously concentrated opportunity to hear these religious leaders address the community on the issues of the day.”

Distinguished speakers this year include: Newly elected OU President Stephen J. Savitsky; OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb; Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh Kollel and Professor of Talmud, Yeshiva University (YU), Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and OU Senior Halachic Advisor; and Rabbi Moshe Tendler, Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS and YU professor of Biology, among others.

The keynote speaker will be Judge Daniel Butler of Pittsburgh, PA, who will address the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” in memory of his son Mikey, who died last year of cystic fibrosis.

The Convention will include a kosher food exposition, exhibits, as well as a two-day healthcare/legal conference. A distinguished group of Convention faculty serving as scholars-in-residence will fan out through the community and lead sessions at various sites, including local synagogues and the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills.

Rabbi Tendler, a world renowned expert in the field of Jewish medical ethics, will lead the Health Care and Legal Conference on Sunday, December 26, with a discussion, “Do Not Forsake Us in Old Age,” which will be sponsored by Epic Homecare, the Garden of Palms, and Bikur Cholim of Los Angeles. The title, “Do Not Forsake Us in Old Age,” was not chosen at random. It is a verse taken from Psalms, which is included in the pre-High Holy Day penitential prayers and is repeated throughout Yom Kippur.

Additional topics will include: "The Obligation to Investigate Our Own Genetic Code: How Much Preventative Medicine Does Halacha Require?"; "Re-Defining His Image: Issues of Cosmetic Surgery & Body Piercing"; "Defining Medical Futility"; and "Age Issues: Prolonging Life vs. Delaying Death."

The healthcare/legal conference will also meet on Friday morning, December 24. MCLE – continuing legal education – credit will be given for the second session to lawyers who register.

A special event and book signing with Rabbi Benjamin Blech of New York, author of “If God is So Good, Why is the World So Bad?,” will be held on Saturday evening, December 25.

“The uniqueness of the Convention is that it’s a community-wide event, not just a community event,” said Rabbi Alan Kalinsky, Director of the OU’s Los Angeles-based West Coast Region. “It truly represents the concept of amcha, or the entire people, and that is how we see the Convention.”

According to Martin Nachimson of Valley Village, who is Chairman of the OU’s National Board of Governors, “The Convention is a function of how the Orthodox Union serves Jewish communities throughout the United States. This is one key example of how it does so.”

Jeff Presser is the Chairman of the Convention Committee. Howard Shapiro is the Young Leadership Chairman.

Other speakers will include:

• Rabbi Daniel Alter (Denver, CO) East Denver Orthodox Synagogue;
• Rebbetzin Rivka Alter (Denver, CO) Doctoral Candidate, Azrieli Graduate School; Faculty, Denver Torah Academy;
• Rabbi Kenneth Brander (Boca Raton, FL) Boca Raton Synagogue; Dean, Boca Raton Judaic Fellows Program;
• Rabbi Michael Broyde (Atlanta, GA) Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law; Member, Beth Din of America; Dean, Atlanta Torah Metzion Kollel;
• Dr. David Luchins (New York) Chairman, Political Science Department, Touro College; National Vice President, Orthodox Union;
• Rabbi Adam Mintz (New York) President, New York Board of Rabbis; Visiting lecturer, Rutgers University;
• Dr. David Pelcovitz (New York) YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education; Pastoral counseling and family education, RIETS; Special Assistant to YU President Richard Joel;
• Nathan Diament (Washington, DC) Director of the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs;
• Rabbi Steven Pruzansky (Teaneck, NJ) Congregation Bnai Yeshurun.

For further information on attending the Convention contact Rabbi Alan Kalinsky at 310-229-9000, ext. 3, or rakalinsky@ou.org.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the , is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 275,000 products manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.

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