Meet Rabbi Ephraim Rubinger
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RABBI RUBINGER'S OFFICE HOURS
| Monday | Day Off |
| Tuesday | 3:45 PM -7:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:AM -3:00PM |
| Thursday | 10-AM 3:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM |
The rabbi is always available for emergencies at
352-624-7390 (home) 305-213-9955 (cell)
Biography
Rabbi Ephraim
Rubinger received his BA degree in Judaica and Political Science from
Yeshiva University. He then earned a Masters degree in Hebrew
Literature and his Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological
Seminary of America. He subsequently received a Masters of Education in
Administration and Counseling from Xavier University. In addition,
Rabbi Rubinger received a Three Year Certificate in Psychotherapy from
The Long Island Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy and has
done extensive work as a psychotherapist.
A pioneer in the integration of health and religion, while he was at
the Oceanside Jewish Center, Rabbi Rubinger created the first annual
Jewish Healing Service on Long Island, a practice that he continued
when he became the Rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Massapequa, New
York. During this time, Rabbi Rubinger also served as the Jewish
Chaplain of Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, New York.
He created and facilitated a number of support groups, including a
Cancer support group, another support group called "Parents of People
with AIDS", and several bereavement groups.
As a Jewish response to hunger, poverty, homelessness and other
social ills, Rabbi Rubinger created an organization called HUB, an
acronym for "HaShem's Unfinished Business". HUB provided weekly
volunteers for soup kitchens, a choral group that would perform at
nursing homes, and visitation of the sick and elderly. Under Rabbi
Rubinger's leadership, HUB created the Alix Rubinger Kosher Food Pantry
of Long Island, named after his late wife who originally conceived of
the idea. The Alix Rubinger Kosher Food Pantry, which is still
operating, serves Jews and non-Jews alike.
A noted lecturer and teacher, among Rabbi Rubinger's specialties are
Bible studies, Jewish Spirituality, Hassidism, Jewish Medical Ethics,
Judaism and Healing, and Israel and Zionism. He has taught at various
synagogues throughout the United States, as well as at The Florence
Melton Adult Institute. His passions include Torah study and Israel.
Additionally, he is an excellent writer and has authored a number of
creative liturgical services.
Though raised in an Orthodox milieu and educated at the Conservative
theological seminary, Rabbi Rubinger considers himself a Reform Jew
whose rich and varied background enables him to assist his congregants
in making informed choices as to their Jewish way of life in the
twenty-first century.
Return to Temple Beth Shalom's front page
March 2010
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newsletter
ISRAEL
In about 6 days after you receive this bulletin, I,
Ruchama, and 16 other people from our congregation will be journeying
to Eretz Yisrael to spend about ten and a half days touring the
country. Needless to say, we are all thrilled AND excited about this
trip, and about renewing our connection to the Jewish Homeland. I
haven't been to Israel since 1995, and Ruchama has never been there,
nor for the most part have most of the members of our group.
As
you know, I strongly believe that Israel is central to being Jewish. A
Jew who is not involved with Israel at some level is actually missing a
basic component of Jewish life. I must tell you that one of the things
I very much mourn about is the woeful lack of information so many Jews
have about Israel. It is frighteningly amazing to me how so many of our
people seem not to have empathy with the people of Israel. Basically,
this
is due to not having accurate information about Israel. If you rely on
the likes of the New York Times, CNN and MSNBC, etc., for news about
Israel then you probably have a very skewed and highly inaccurate
understanding of the only Jewish State in the world.
So let me give you a menu of how to find out and learn about the State Israel:
- If
you go online and click on Jewishtvnetwork.com, within 30-50 seconds
Israel Broadcast Authority News (IBA) will automatically come on for
you. This is a nightly program of news and analysis from Jerusalem in
English that is impeccably balanced. It covers everything from the Arts
in Israel to the military situation. I never miss a night of it.
- Go
online and go to Honest Reporting.com. This is an excellent and
well-researched site which separates fact from fiction in news
reporting about Israel. This is a must-read for anyone who is concerned
about media bias. You will be amazed at the amount of media bias
against Israel that exists!
- There are four online Israeli
newspapers of different political orientations: Ha'Aretz, (far left),
Ynet, (center left), The Jerusalem Post (center right), and Arutz 7
(far right). In my opinion, the Jerusalem Post is the most responsible
but all of them are fairly good papers.
Please take the
time to learn about Israel, find out about its people and its culture.
The State of Israel, the Third Jewish Commonwealth, is one of the most
incredible phenomenon in all of world history: How a group of
determined Jews returned to their ancient homeland after 2,000 years,
transformed a land of desert and swamps into the technological capitol
of the world, and at the same time fought off forces that were out to
destroy them is one most heroic chapters of the world. Becomepart of Israel by getting to know about it!.
With affection, as ever,
Ephraim Rubinger, Rabbi