Unpacking The Rabbi’s Suitcase: Understanding The Evolving Nature of Our American Jewish Relationship with Our Jewish Brothers and Sisters in Israel

The recent events in Israel may have caused us to think deeply about the nature and extent of our relationship with the Jewish State and our fellow Israelis.  Through it all, we share an unbreakable bond that spans generations of unique and mutual responsibilities to one another.  Today, more than ever, we are called to work toward the Israel of our dreams. Join our S’lichot scholar-in-residence, Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin, as he explores with us this critical and timely issue of our day.  Rabbi Salkin, a celebrated speaker and author, will share with us his personal Story about the Van Driver in Israel Who Found the Rabbi’s Suitcase, one of the craziest stories you will ever hear about life in Israel! Rabbi Salkin will help us examine what it means for Jews in Israel and the United States to have faith in each other and take responsibility for one another. This promises to be a lively and engaging session with opportunities for questions and small group discussion. Refreshments will be served.

This is the inaugural  Sheldon Wolfe Memorial Lecture. Sheldon was a life-long, active member of Sherith Israel and celebrated his bar mitzvah at our congregation. He served on the Board of Trustees and was a past president, as well. When Sheldon died last year, his family established this fund to honor his memory and his deep passion for and commitment to Israel. We thank all those who donated to make this event possible.

Watch Video of this event

Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin has a national and international reputation as one of America’s most quoted rabbis and thought leaders. His words have been cited in The New York Times, The New Republic, and USA Today. He has appeared on many television and radio programs, and has spoken in more than a hundred communities, including in Israel, Great Britain, Cuba, and Poland. His colleagues describe him as “intellectually fearless;” “an activist for Jewish ideas;” “a public intellectual of the pulpit.”

Rabbi Salkin’s books have been published by Jewish Lights Publishing and the Jewish Publication Society. His books have dealt with such subjects as the spirituality of career, masculinity, Israel, righteous gentiles, and Jewish history. Several of his books have won national awards. 

Rabbi Salkin has been responsible for the spiritual revival of bar and bat mitzvah in America – largely through his first book, Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim The Spiritual Meaning of Your Child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah (Jewish Lights Publishing. His  book, The JPS Bnai Mitzvah Torah Commentary, is the first in-depth introduction to Torah and prophets for young people and their families. 

Rabbi Salkin’s blog, “Martini Judaism – for those who want to be shaken and stirred,” won the 2015 Religion Communicators Council (RCC) Wilbur Award for Faith-based Blogs. His essays have appeared in numerous periodicals, including The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Commentary, Forward, JTA, Tablet, Moment, The Jewish Week and Readers Digest. 

A native of New York, Rabbi Salkin was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1981. He was one of the first Jews to earn the Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1991. Rabbi Salkin has served on the boards of many national and local Jewish organizations, and has been an activist for Israel and Zionism.

Rabbi Salkin serves as the Senior Rabbi at Temple Israel of West Palm Beach. He was the prestigious Chautauqua Society scholar in June of 2020.