Ephraim Buchwald
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald is one of the leaders in the movement of Jewish return in America today.
Ordained at Yeshiva University
, where he was a student of Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik, he served from 1973 for 15 years as the Director of Education at Lincoln Square Synagogue
in New York, which became one of the largest and most successful centers for adult Jewish education programs in America. He also established and coordinated Lincoln Square's outreach program. Since 1975, Buchwald has led the synagogue’s "Beginners Service," a special Shabbat
service for people with little or no synagogue experience.
In July 1987, Buchwald founded the National Jewish Outreach Program
(NJOP). NJOP sponsors "Shabbat Across America/Canada" and "Read Hebrew America/Canada" campaigns, establishes Beginners Services and the "Turn Friday Night into Shabbat," "Passover Across America" and "Sukkot Across America" programs, as well as free "crash course
s" in Hebrew
reading, basic Judaism
and Jewish history
. These programs are now offered at more than 3,829 locations across North America and in 39 countries worldwide (as advertised by NJOP as of 1/10). Through these programs and advertising campaigns, NJOP has successfully reached more than 1,120,500 Jews in North America and engaged them in Jewish life (as advertised by NJOP as of 1/10).
Rabbi Buchwald was the founding president and is now the honorary president of the Association of Jewish Outreach Programs (AJOP) (previously known as the Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals), which was established in 1988. Both NJOP and AJOP were initially funded by significant grants from the AVI CHAI Foundation
, a Jewish philanthropy established by Sanford Bernstein
, a financial investor who had himself become a Baal teshuva
(a returnee to traditional Orthodox observance) and sought to further the cause of education and outreach to alienated and assimilated Jews worldwide.
In November 1997 Buchwald was named to the Forward 50, a list of America’s 50 most influential Jews, and has been part of Newsweek’s list of "top 50 Rabbis in America" the last three years. In May 2001, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Yeshiva University
in recognition of his outreach work.
Buchwald is renowned for making complex Jewish topics easier to grasp through his pedagogic skills and quick sense of humor (as noted in Sh’ma Magazine November 26, 1993 as one of several "Master teachers, recognized nationwide for [their] remarkable skills.") He lectures in the USA and internationally, and leads experiential programs.
Buchwald and his wife Aidel, reside in New York City and have are the parents of four children and three four grandchildren.
Ordained at Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
, where he was a student of Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik, he served from 1973 for 15 years as the Director of Education at Lincoln Square Synagogue
Lincoln Square Synagogue
The Lincoln Square Synagogue at 200 Amsterdam Avenue at the corner of West 69th Street in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, was founded as a congregation in 1964 by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin...
in New York, which became one of the largest and most successful centers for adult Jewish education programs in America. He also established and coordinated Lincoln Square's outreach program. Since 1975, Buchwald has led the synagogue’s "Beginners Service," a special Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
service for people with little or no synagogue experience.
In July 1987, Buchwald founded the National Jewish Outreach Program
National Jewish Outreach Program
The National Jewish Outreach Program was established by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald in 1987, in response to the urgent need to address the critical issue of the spiraling losses of Jews from Jewish life due to assimilation and lack of Jewish knowledge...
(NJOP). NJOP sponsors "Shabbat Across America/Canada" and "Read Hebrew America/Canada" campaigns, establishes Beginners Services and the "Turn Friday Night into Shabbat," "Passover Across America" and "Sukkot Across America" programs, as well as free "crash course
Crash Course
Crash Course is a 1988 made for television teen film directed by Oz Scott.-Plot:Crash Course centers on a group of high schoolers in a driver’s education class; many for the second or third time...
s" in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
reading, basic Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Jewish history
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
. These programs are now offered at more than 3,829 locations across North America and in 39 countries worldwide (as advertised by NJOP as of 1/10). Through these programs and advertising campaigns, NJOP has successfully reached more than 1,120,500 Jews in North America and engaged them in Jewish life (as advertised by NJOP as of 1/10).
Rabbi Buchwald was the founding president and is now the honorary president of the Association of Jewish Outreach Programs (AJOP) (previously known as the Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals), which was established in 1988. Both NJOP and AJOP were initially funded by significant grants from the AVI CHAI Foundation
AVI CHAI Foundation
AVI CHAI is a private foundation endowed in 1984 by Sanford Bernstein, a well-known successful investor who become a Modern Orthodox Baal teshuva and who had wanted to further the cause of outreach to alienated and assimilated Jews worldwide. Avi-Chai functions in the United States and in Israel...
, a Jewish philanthropy established by Sanford Bernstein
Sanford Bernstein
Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., also known as Bernstein, is the sell-side research unit of AllianceBernstein L.P.Sanford C. Bernstein was founded in 1967 as an investment-management firm for private clients. In October 2000, Alliance Capital acquired Sanford C...
, a financial investor who had himself become a Baal teshuva
Baal teshuva
Baal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
(a returnee to traditional Orthodox observance) and sought to further the cause of education and outreach to alienated and assimilated Jews worldwide.
In November 1997 Buchwald was named to the Forward 50, a list of America’s 50 most influential Jews, and has been part of Newsweek’s list of "top 50 Rabbis in America" the last three years. In May 2001, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
in recognition of his outreach work.
Buchwald is renowned for making complex Jewish topics easier to grasp through his pedagogic skills and quick sense of humor (as noted in Sh’ma Magazine November 26, 1993 as one of several "Master teachers, recognized nationwide for [their] remarkable skills.") He lectures in the USA and internationally, and leads experiential programs.
Buchwald and his wife Aidel, reside in New York City and have are the parents of four children and three four grandchildren.