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Gateways (organization)
Encyclopedia
Jewish assimilation
Jewish assimilation refers to the cultural assimilation and social integration of Jews in their surrounding culture. Assimilation became legally possible in Europe during the Age of Enlightenment.-Background:Judaism forbids the worship of other gods...
among American Jews
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
."
Origins
Gateways was founded in 1998 by Rabbi Mordechai Suchard with the stated goal of "providing opportunities for Jews to unlock the treasure of their heritage through dynamic educational and social programs." The organization is based in Monsey, New YorkMonsey, New York
Monsey is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Airmont and west of Nanuet...
. It began as an American offshoot of Arachim (meaning "values"), an Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
outreach organization founded in 1979. Funding for Gateways is entirely from individual donors.
Programs
Gateways runs a range of programs with different programs geared towards attendees of different Jewish backgrounds. the programs all have the general aim of educating towards Jewish values and traditions and connection with IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
." Gateways often joins with other organizations to co-sponsor events.
Programs include:
- Family education.
- Learning programs for collegiates and young professionals.
- Services focused on the Russian American Jewish community.
- Singles networking and matchmaking.
- Learning opportunities via the internet, including the an "Ask the Rabbi" portal.
- Life skills and professional development seminars.
- Jewish holidayJewish holidayJewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
programs.
In addition to the New York metropolitan area, the organization hosts events throughout the United States.
Gateways personalities
Gateways is staffed by a team of 45 professionals working in seven different departments.Rabbi Mordechai Suchard
Biography
Suchard was born in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. His father is a dayan (ecclesiastical "judge") on the Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
Beth Din
Beth din
A beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
. He studied at the Telshe yeshiva
Telshe yeshiva
Telshe yeshiva was a famous Eastern European yeshiva founded in the Lithuanian town of Telšiai. After World War II the yeshiva relocated to Wickliffe, Ohio, in the United States and is currently known as the Rabbinical College of Telshe, It is one of the most prominent Haredi institutions of Torah...
, in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. He attended Ponevezh
Ponevezh yeshiva
Ponevezh Yeshiva, often pronounced Ponevitch Yeshiva, is a world renowned yeshiva located in Bnei Brak, Israel. Donated by Henry Krausher, it was originally established in the town of Panevėžys, Lithuania...
in Bnei Brak, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Kulitz, the Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Jerusalem and Dean of the Jerusalem Beth Din.
Suchard founded Gateways to promote the continuity of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. He has spent the last decade establishing and running a network of outreach organizations targeting college students, young professionals, singles and Russian immigrants in the United States. He is also active in Jewish education on the Internet.
Suchard has served on the rabbinical board of "Ask The Rabbi" answering questions about Jewish law, philosophy and ethics.
He speaks across America on Jewish issues such as prophecy
Nevi'im
Nevi'im is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh. It falls between the Torah and Ketuvim .Nevi'im is traditionally divided into two parts:...
and seeing God
Names of God in Judaism
In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title; it represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relationship of God to the Jewish people and to the world. To demonstrate the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for...
in one's life.
Suchard was on the American delegation accompanying US President George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
when he visited Israel in May 2008 to mark the country's sixtieth birthday celebrations.
Political views
Rabbi Suchard is a supporter of Senator Joe LiebermanJoe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
, contributing to his political campaign from 2002 to 2006.
Rabbi Mordechai Becher
Biography
Born in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Becher is the son of Trudy and the late Sol Becher—his English name is Michael. As a child, he attended the Bialik College in Melbourne for elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
. Becher had a Labrador
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
-Cocker Spaniel mix for 13 years while growing up. He received his rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Jerusalem. Shortly thereafter, he started lecturing at Neve Yerushalayim
Neve Yerushalayim
Neve Yerushalayim is a network of Orthodox Jewish colleges for Jewish women, with a based in Har Nof, Jerusalem.Founded in 1970 by Rabbi Dovid Refson as an institution for young college-age female Baal teshuvas , Neve Yerushalayim has since broadened its mandate to offer Jewish studies programs...
, Darchei Binah and Ohr Somayach
Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem
Ohr Somayach was founded in 1970. It is a yeshiva based in Jerusalem, Israel, catering mostly to young Jewish men, usually of college age, who are already interested in learning about Judaism...
College, remaining at the latter for 15 years. He also served as a senior lecturer at Ohr Somayach Thornhill for four years in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, from 1992 to 1996.
Becher first moved to Israel in 1978, and served in the armoured infantry in the Israel Defense Force,. He was also an army chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, teaching in training programs for rabbis and educators. He married Chavy Borck of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1985 and lived for a time in Kiryat Moshe
Kiryat Moshe
Kiryat Moshe is a neighborhood in western Jerusalem, Israel named for the British Jewish philanthropist Moses Montefiore. Kiryat Moshe is bordered by Givat Shaul.-History:...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He has co-authored two books on contemporary issues in Jewish law and has responded to literally thousands of legal, ethical and philosophical questions on the Ohr Somayach "Ask the Rabbi" website.
Becher considers Rabbi Moshe Shapiro to be his rebbe, or primary mentor in areas of Torah and Judaism.
Becher lives with his wife and their six children in Passaic Park.
Gateways
Becher is currently a Senior Lecturer for Gateways. He also lectures for Project GenesisProject Genesis (organization)
Project Genesis is an Orthodox Jewish outreach organization based in Baltimore, Maryland and created by Rabbi Yaakov Menken in 1993 to further the goals of the Baal teshuva movement....
and is one of the leading voices in American Orthodox Jewish outreach.
He is known for his quick wit and tremendously acute sense of humor, evidenced by some of the lectures he delivers, with titles including "Guns and Moses: A Jewish Perspective on Politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
," "The Rooster
Rooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
, the Tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
and the SUV," "First Fruits, Cheeseburger
Cheeseburger
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with cheese that has been added to it. Traditionally, the cheese is placed on top of the patty, but the burger can include many variations in structure, ingredients, and composition...
s and Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies is a novel by Nobel Prize-winning author William Golding about a group of British boys stuck on a deserted island who try to govern themselves, with disastrous results...
" and "Shabbos: Who Invented the Weekend Anyway?"
Other endeavors
Becher is the author of a number of books, including Avodat Ahavah (Labor of Love, currently available only in Hebrew) covering the Jewish laws related to kiruv. He also co-authored After the Return: A Guide for the Newly Observant with Moshe Newman and wrote Gateway to Judaism: The What, How and Why of Jewish Life. Becher has also contributed to the development of computer software programs related to Israeli geographyGeography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
.
Becher serves as host of his own radio show on OU
Orthodox Union
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America , more popularly known as the Orthodox Union , is one of the oldest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. It is best known for its kosher food preparation supervision service...
-Radio, which exists in a question and answer format. Becher is also the host of three cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
shows that air on Shalom TV
Shalom TV
-Overview:Shalom TV, Free on Demand, is the Jewish television cable network in North America. A mainstream network, it addresses the entire spectrum of Jewish life with cultural programming for the entire Jewish community. Shalom TV is available on cable providers serving more than 41 million...
, carried on Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
's Channel 1 On Demand: "From the Aleph-Bet
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
," "Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
Revealed" and "Dimensions of the Daf," the latter a reference to the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, a page of which is referred to as a daf. Becher has given lectures for many organizations, including the UJA and the Zionist Organization of America
Zionist Organization of America
The Zionist Organization of America , founded in 1897, was one of the first official Zionist organizations in the United States, and, especially early in the 20th century, the primary representative of Jewish Americans to the World Zionist Organization, espousing primarily Political Zionism.Today,...
.
Becher has studied comparative religion
Comparative religion
Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions...
, archeology and history and is on the speakers list of the Israeli Consulate in New York.
Rabbi Jonathan Rietti
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, educator and prominent speaker.
Biography
Rietti was born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He is the son of Italian actor and director, Robert Rietti
Robert Rietti
Robert Rietti , usually credited as Robert Rietty, is a Italian actor and director.- Biography :Born of Italian heritage, Lucio Rietti was “discovered” at the age of 8 by his father Vittorio who noticed the boy had completely memorized a copy of a script he had given Lucio having wanted help from...
. He has twin sisters and a brother and attended school with the children of Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
. He draws upon his familiarity with the film and advertising industries to entertain his audiences and criticize social flaws.
Rietti received his ordination from the Gateshead Talmudical College
Gateshead Talmudical College
Gateshead Talmudical College , popularly known as Gateshead Yeshiva, is located in the town of Gateshead in England. It is the largest yeshiva in Europe and considered to be one of the most prestigious advanced yeshivas in the Orthodox world. The student body currently numbers 350...
, after which he was involved in establishing a growing kollel
Kollel
A kollel is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim and learning sedarim ; unlike a yeshiva, the student body of a kollel are all married men...
in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. He served as a senior lecturer for 11 years at the Jewish Renaissance Center.
He is a much sought after lecturer on personal growth and Jewish identity, having been invited to speak throughout the United States.
Rietti is the author of a book entitled The Art of Healthy Living, based on Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
' teachings of healthy eating, and has been brought in on occasion to speak to audiences about his work in the field. In mid-2008, Rietti was invited to be the keynote speaker at a program called "Caring For Loved Ones While Caring For Ourselves", where he addressed the issues relating to Maimonidies' guide for healthy living that form the basis for his new book.
He lives with his wife, Devorah, and their children in Monsey, New York
Monsey, New York
Monsey is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Airmont and west of Nanuet...
.
Jewish education
Rietti possesses a Master's degreeMaster of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in education and has been an educational consultant since 1986, offering guidance to parents of gifted and ADD
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.ADHD is the most commonly studied and...
children.
wideainc.org]
Gateways
Rietti is a senior lecturer for Gateways, and lectures across the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
He is known for his educational seminars and lectures, focusing on inner growth, relationships, positive parenting, health and support for the authenticity of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. He has recorded over 200 lectures and is a sought-after speaker on love, marriage and the Jewish approach to interpersonal relationships.
Rietti is on the response team of Ask the Rabbi, a website dedicated to answering questions about Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, usually within 24 hours. He has appeared numerous times as a guest speaker on the Gavriel Sanders Show, addressing the Jewish perspective on love, happiness and anger management.
Rietti is involved with numerous outreach organizations and educational institutions, including Ohr Somayach and The Jewish Awareness Movement.
External links
- Gateways