In My Opinion

Rabbi Berel Wein, the founder and director of the Destiny Foundation since 1996, has, for over 25 years, been identified with the popularization of Jewish history through his more than 1,000 lectures heard world-wide on CD and now as downloadable MP3s, his 15 books, history courses, educational tours and, most recently, dramatic and documentary films.

Rabbi Wein is a graduate of the Hebrew Theological College and Roosevelt College in Chicago. He received his Juris Doctor Degree from De Paul University Law School and a Doctor of Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Theological College.

Rabbi Wein was a practicing lawyer for a number of years and in 1964 assumed the pulpit of the Beth Israel Congregation in Miami Beach, Florida, where he remained until 1972. In 1973 he became the Rabbi of Congregation Bais Torah in Suffern, New York and remained in that position for 24 years. He was then appointed Executive Vice President of the Union of Orthodox Organizations of America and was Rabbinic Administrator of the Kashrus Division for five years after that.

In 1977 he founded Yeshiva Shaarei Torah in Suffern, New York and remained its Rosh Hayeshiva until 1997. Rabbi Wein’s book of halachic essays, Chikrei Halacha was published by Mosad Harav Kook in 1976 and Eyunim B’M’sechtoth Hatalmud was published in 1989.

Rabbi Wein has authored four Jewish history books – Triumph of Survival, The Story of the Jews in the Modern Era; Herald of Destiny, the Medieval Era; Echoes of Glory, the Classical Era and Faith and Fate, the story of the Jews in the Twentieth Century – all of which have received popular and critical acclaim.

Rabbi Wein also authors and edits a monthly newsletter – The Wein Press – a source of information and inspiration on topics of Jewish interest. He also pens a weekly column for The Jerusalem Post.

Currently, The Destiny Foundation is in the process of translating Rabbi Wein’s riveting accounts of Jewish history into a series of films on Jewish personalities – the first, entitled Rashi-A Light After The Dark Ages, was released in 2000, and Rambam/The Story of Maimonides had its premiere in New York, in November 2004. Currently in production, The Destiny Foundation is preparing a 10-part documentary series, based on Rabbi Wein’s history of the Jews in the twentieth century, Faith & Fate.

Rabbi Wein is a member of the Illinois Bar Association and is the recipient of the Educator of the Year Award from the Covenant Foundation/1993. Most recently Rabbi Wein received the Torah Prize Award from Machon Harav Frank in Jerusalem for his achievements in teaching Torah and spreading Judaism around the world. Rabbi Wein lives and teaches in Jerusalem.