Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb is Executive Vice President, Emeritus of the Orthodox Union, following more than seven years as Executive Vice President. In that role, he combined the skills of pulpit rabbi, scholar, and clinical psychologist to provide extraordinary leadership to the organization and to Orthodox Judaism worldwide. Rabbi Weinreb received his rabbinic ordination in 1962 from the Rabbi Jacob Joseph Yeshiva in New York and served as spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore for 13 years, building the congregation from 160 to more than 400 families before coming to the OU. In addition, he has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Maryland and served as a psychotherapist for mental health organizations for many years while also maintaining a private practice. His positions included roles as school psychologist for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and as Chief Psychologist of the Potomac Foundation for Mental Health. As Executive Vice President, Rabbi Weinreb built the Orthodox Union to an unparalleled degree of esteem. He traveled widely, visiting communities and congregations across North America, in addition to his frequent trips to Europe and Israel. In these travels, he frequently served as scholar-in-residence, including some of his most enjoyable assignments, guiding NCSY summer touring groups. Now, with more time to write, Rabbi Weinreb has authored The Person in the Parsha: Discovering the Human Element in the Weekly Torah Portion, based on his popular weekly Person in the Parsha Torah commentary, in which he combines his background as a trained psychologist and a rabbinical scholar to provide insights into the parsha that would be available from no other source. For more than two decades, he has presented his annual Tisha B’Av shiur, webcast around the world on ou.org and reaching an audience of thousands. Many people use the new Koren Mesorat HaRav Kinot, the complete Tisha B’Av service, with an exquisite new English translation of the Kinot, the elegies of the fast day, by Rabbi Weinreb. Rabbi Weinreb is also the editor-in-chief of the new Koren Talmud Bavli, and has authored a commentary to Sefer Tehilim, called The Rohr Family Edition of Tehilim; also published by Koren. Rabbi Weinreb continues to travel extensively, and to write essays and commentaries for a wide variety of resources.
“U’mikdashi Tirau” – “and you shall fear my Temple” (Leviticus 26:2): Yom Yerushalayim in the Parsha. Yom Yerushalayim isn’t just a celebration of a military victory, we celebrate recapturing the holiest place on Earth, even though we don’t have full access.
It is Purim: Don’t get Drunk!! Don’t let your yetzer hara tell you it’s a mitzvah to over-drink. Even in his day, the author of Yesod v’shoresh HaAvodah saw people abusing wine and warned against it.
Hallel doesn’t just mean praise, but also to glow since the person glows and it inspires them to even greater things. We try to accomplish this through the medium of Hallel.
According to Rav Kook, Teshuva is the ability to confront old habits and not cling to them, to be free to explore new ways, attitudes, and behaviors. A Time for Personal Growth and Behavioral Change – The Month of Elul by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union.
Tisha B’av Kinot with introductions and explanations presented by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb. Rabbi Weinreb redeems from anonymity heroes and victims of a variety of Jewish catastrophes including the Temple destructions, Pogroms of 1648-49, French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, and the Shoah. Focusing on various aspects of the soul with song, poetry and explanations […]
If the Synagogue is not Judaism’s most important institution what is? Fifth in a new series on the inner experiences of different days on the Jewish calendar.
The Yesod V’Shoresh Ha’Avodah says Purim’s essence is thanksgiving. This must be our attitude on Purim & explains how to achieve this hour by hour on Purim. Purim Day: Hour by hour by an anti-alcohol Rabbi of the 18th century. Fourth in a new series on the inner experiences of different days on the Jewish […]
Contemplating evil in the world and its manifestation within each of us, taking a look at what we value and what we belittle. Third in a new series on the inner experiences of different days on the Jewish calendar.
Two views on exile, living in Israel, and realizing the happiness of Adar. Second in a new series on the inner experiences of different days on the Jewish calendar.
Tu B’Shevat is surely relevant for farmers. Ideas from the Ohev Yisrael, the Apter Rav about how Tu B’Shevat is relevant even for us city-dwellers Rabbi Weinreb explores the significance of Tu B’Shevat to a Brooklyn Boy. First in a new series on the inner experiences of different days on the Jewish calendar.
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Orthodox Union