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	Rabbi '''Avraham Weiss''' (usually known as '''Avi Weiss''') is a ] ] who heads the ], ], ]. He is an author, teacher, lecturer, and activist. In addition he is founder and Dean of the "Open Orthodox" Yeshiva in New York - ].		Rabbi '''Avraham Weiss''' (usually known as '''Avi Weiss''') is a ] ] who heads the ], ], ]. He is an author, teacher, lecturer, and activist. In addition he is founder and Dean of the "Open Orthodox" Yeshiva in New York - ].

			== Activism ==
			Weiss has been one of the Orthodox communities most visible examples of activism over the last generation. He has been vocal on many issues, including ] for ], opposing ], supporting ], preserving ] memorials, and exposing ]. In 1992 he founded ''Amcha - the coalition for Jewish concerns'', a ] coalition which engages in pro-Jewish activism.<ref>http://amchacjc.org/</ref>

			In ] he led a "truth squad" which demonstrated at ] and ] rallies, attempting to expose them as ].

			He has argued that ] should recieve clemency for his crimes, and organized an unprecedented full page ad which appeared in the ] from 570 rabbis asking for leniency on behalf of Polard.<ref>http://www.jonathanpollard.org/1992/102592a.htm</ref> He has also served as Pollard's personal rabbi, visiting him 42 times in prison.<ref>http://amchacjc.org/people.cfm</ref>

			In April of 2002, Weiss organized a large pro-Israel rally on the ] in ]<ref>San Francisco Chronicle, , May 2, 2002</ref>

			Weiss has also been active for years trying to preserve holocaust era sites in Europe. Along with Rosa Sacharin of ], he sued the ] to stop the construction of a path through the ] in ].<ref>http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/20693/edition_id/424/format/html/displaystory.html</ref> He has also protested president ]'s visit to an ] cemetary in 1985, and called attention to the Carmelite convent at ] in 1989 and the continued Christianization of ] sites. He was once even ]ed for protesting at the Church of ].<ref>http://amchacjc.org/people.cfm</ref>

			== Jewish Philosophy ==
			Weiss coined the term "Open Orthodox", and founded ], which operates under the same model, and aspires to foster intellectual openness, expanding the ], adherence to ], and cultivating spirituality.<ref>http://www.yctorah.org/who_we_are/</ref>

			== Books ==
			*Weiss, Avi, ''Haggadah for the Yom HaShoah Seder'', Jonas Pub, March 2000
			*Weiss, Avi, ''Principles of Spiritual Activism'', Ktav publishers, November 2001
			*Weiss, Avi, ''Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women's Prayer Groups'', Ktav publishers, January 2003

	== References ==		== References ==
			<references/>
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	*
	*

	== External links ==		== External links ==
	*		* (founded by Weiss)
	*		*
			* (founded by Weiss)

	{{Judaism-bio-stub}}

	]		]

Revision as of 02:13, 17 May 2006

Rabbi Avraham Weiss (usually known as Avi Weiss) is a Modern Orthodox rabbi who heads the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Bronx, New York. He is an author, teacher, lecturer, and activist. In addition he is founder and Dean of the "Open Orthodox" Yeshiva in New York - Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.

Activism

Weiss has been one of the Orthodox communities most visible examples of activism over the last generation. He has been vocal on many issues, including clemency for Jonathan Pollard, opposing terrorism, supporting Israel, preserving holocaust memorials, and exposing anti-semetism. In 1992 he founded Amcha - the coalition for Jewish concerns, a grass-roots coalition which engages in pro-Jewish activism.

In 1992 he led a "truth squad" which demonstrated at David Duke and Pat Buchanan rallies, attempting to expose them as anti-semites.

He has argued that Jonathan Pollard should recieve clemency for his crimes, and organized an unprecedented full page ad which appeared in the New York Times from 570 rabbis asking for leniency on behalf of Polard. He has also served as Pollard's personal rabbi, visiting him 42 times in prison.

In April of 2002, Weiss organized a large pro-Israel rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Weiss has also been active for years trying to preserve holocaust era sites in Europe. Along with Rosa Sacharin of Glasgow, Scotland, he sued the American Jewish Community to stop the construction of a path through the Belzec extermination camp in Poland. He has also protested president Ronald Regan's visit to an Schutzstaffel cemetary in 1985, and called attention to the Carmelite convent at Auschwitz in 1989 and the continued Christianization of Nazi extermination camp sites. He was once even arrested for protesting at the Church of Birkenau.

Jewish Philosophy

Weiss coined the term "Open Orthodox", and founded Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, which operates under the same model, and aspires to foster intellectual openness, expanding the role of women in Judaism, adherence to halakha, and cultivating spirituality.

Books

Weiss, Avi, Haggadah for the Yom HaShoah Seder, Jonas Pub, March 2000
Weiss, Avi, Principles of Spiritual Activism, Ktav publishers, November 2001
Weiss, Avi, Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women's Prayer Groups, Ktav publishers, January 2003

References

External links

Chovevei Torah (founded by Weiss)
Hebrew Institute of Riverdale
Amcha - the coalition for Jewish concerns (founded by Weiss)

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