Yehuda (Leo) Levi
Encyclopedia
Yehuda Levi (born 1926) was Rector
and Professor
of Electro-optics
at the Jerusalem College of Technology
. He is best known as the author of several books on Science and Judaism, and Judaism in contemporary society, as well as on physics
.
and was educated in the United States
. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in electrical engineering
from City College
, N.Y. and his Ph.D in Physics
from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1964. He studied Talmud
at Gur Aryeh Institute's
kollel
, and received semicha
(Rabbi
nic ordination) from Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner
and additionally from Rabbi Joseph Breuer
.
In 1970 he settled in Jerusalem with his wife and three sons, where he founded the electro-optics department of the Jerusalem College of Technology. He served as Rector of the college from 1982 to 1990.
Levi was a Fellow of the Gur Aryeh Institute for Advanced Jewish Scholarship, has been president of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists
http://www.aojs.org/history.asp#2, both in the U.S.A. and in Israel, and is the recipient of the Feder (Torah & Science) and Abramowitz-Zeitlin (Jewish literature) awards.
Levi is currently on the faculty of Yeshivat Dvar Yerushalayim (The Jerusalem Academy of Jewish Studies) http://www.dvar.org.il/.
with philosophic discussion.
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
and Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Electro-optics
Electro-optics
Electro-optics is a branch of technology involving components, devices and systems which operate by modification of the optical properties of a material by an electric field...
at the Jerusalem College of Technology
Jerusalem College of Technology
The Jerusalem College of Technology , , is an Orthodox Jewish college. JCT's main campus are situated in the Givat Mordechai neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Other branches are located in the Givat Shaul neighbourhood of Jerusalem and Ramat Gan...
. He is best known as the author of several books on Science and Judaism, and Judaism in contemporary society, as well as on physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
.
Biography
Levi was born in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and was educated in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from City College
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, N.Y. and his Ph.D in Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1964. He studied 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....
at Gur Aryeh Institute's
Kollel Gur Aryeh
Kollel Gur Aryeh is a kollel for young married Orthodox men located in Brooklyn, New York. It was established in 1956 by Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner as the post-graduate division of the Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin. A number of well-known Haredi scholars and rosh yeshivas are among its alumni.The kollel is...
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...
, and received semicha
Semicha
, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
(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...
nic ordination) from Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner
Yitzchok Hutner
Yitzchok Hutner was an Orthodox rabbi and American rosh yeshiva.-Early years:Yitchok Hutner was born in Warsaw, Poland, to a family with both Ger Hasidic and non-Hasidic Lithuanian Jewish roots. As a child he received private instruction in Torah and Talmud...
and additionally from Rabbi Joseph Breuer
Joseph Breuer
Joseph Breuer was a rabbi and community leader in Germany and the United States. He was a Rabbi of one of the large Jewish synagogues founded by German-Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi oppression that had settled in Washington Heights, New York....
.
In 1970 he settled in Jerusalem with his wife and three sons, where he founded the electro-optics department of the Jerusalem College of Technology. He served as Rector of the college from 1982 to 1990.
Levi was a Fellow of the Gur Aryeh Institute for Advanced Jewish Scholarship, has been president of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists
Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists
The Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists is an organization of scientists that focuses on the interrelationships between science and Orthodox Jewish Halakha....
http://www.aojs.org/history.asp#2, both in the U.S.A. and in Israel, and is the recipient of the Feder (Torah & Science) and Abramowitz-Zeitlin (Jewish literature) awards.
Levi is currently on the faculty of Yeshivat Dvar Yerushalayim (The Jerusalem Academy of Jewish Studies) http://www.dvar.org.il/.
Works
In addition to over 100 articles published in various scientific, technical, and Judaica journals, Prof. Levi has published several books. He is known for combining analysis of practical issues in Jewish lawHalakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
with philosophic discussion.
- On Physics
- Applied Optics, 2 vols. (Wiley, 1968 & 1980. ISBN 0471080519)
- Handbook of Tables for Applied Optics (CRC, 1974. ISBN 0878193715)
- Applied Optics in the Eighties, J.C.T., Jerusalem (Co-author)
- On Science and Torah
- Vistas from Mt. Moriah: A Scientist Views Judaism and the World (Gur Aryeh Institute, 1959)
- Jewish Chrononomy (Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists and Gur Aryeh Institute, 1967)
- Torah and Science - Their Interplay in the World Scheme (Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, New York, and Feldheim Publishers, 1983, 2006)
- Halachic Times for Home and Travel (Rubin Mass, 1992)
- ha-Mada sheba-Torah (Reuven Mas, 2001); Translation, The Science in Torah (Feldheim, 2004. ISBN 1583306579)
- On Torah in contemporary society
- Man & Woman: The Torah Perspective (Feldheim, 1979)
- Sha'arey Talmud Torah (Feldheim, 1981)
- Mul Etgarei Hatekufah (Sinai, 1988); translation Facing Current Challenges (Hemed, 1998)
- Torah Study: A Survey of Classic Sources on Timely Issues (Feldheim, 1990. ISBN 0873065557)
- Modern Liberation — Torah Perspective on Contemporary Lifestyles (Hemed, Brooklyn, 1998)
- On Talmud
- Kav VeNaki - with Rabbi Aryeh CarmellAryeh CarmellAryeh Carmell was an Orthodox rabbi, scholar, and author.-Early life and education:Aryeh Carmell was born in London, England, in 1917, to a Russian family of Jews. He was educated at public Aryeh Carmell (1917–2006) was an Orthodox rabbi, scholar, and author.-Early life and education:Aryeh Carmell...
and Rabbi Dr. Gershon Metzger - a six-volume commentary in Hebrew on tractates of Seder ZeraimZeraimSeder Zeraim is the first and shortest Seder of the Mishnah, the first major work of Jewish law. The section of mishnah was written by the rabbis to inform all Jews what must be done to fulfill their biblical obligations of prayer and commandments about food.Observers of Jewish law are bound with...
of the Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem TalmudThe Jerusalem Talmud, talmud meaning "instruction", "learning", , is a collection of Rabbinic notes on the 2nd-century Mishnah which was compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century. The voluminous text is also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud de-Eretz Yisrael...
- Kav VeNaki - with Rabbi Aryeh Carmell
See also
- Modern day Orthodox Jewish views on evolution
External links and references
- Prof. Yehudah Levi, Bio on borhatorah.org