About
About
Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek is widely regarded as one of the most influential and inspiring rabbis in America today.
His work has been recognized by the Jewish Forward, Newsweek, the Times of Israel, Beaconites! and Hudson Valley Magazine.
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Rabbi Brent works extensively with couples preparing for marriage, serves as a member of the faculty at Pardes North America and the JFNA Department of Jewish Learning and Growth, as well as the Rabbi Emeritus of Beacon Hebrew Alliance. Prior to that, he was the Rabbi-in-Residence at American Jewish World Service and was the Marshall T. Meyer Fellow at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in New York.
Inside
Rabbi Brent offers lectures, classes, Shabbat drashot and workshops based on his 20+ years of making the ancient wisdom of Torah accessible to modern sensibilities. Topics include:
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You, Me and the Space Between: Jewish Relational Intelligence: Judaism has Listen (Shema) as its central liturgy and partnered text study (hevruta) as a central devotional practice. We’ll explore the tremendous resources the Jewish tradition has to help us enrich our personal relationships. Resources include Listening as a Spiritual Practice and The Face Has Already Been Revealed.
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Good Jewish Lover: Based on the successful podcast in which Rabbi Brent explores traditional Jewish texts with therapists, coaches and counselors, we will look at selections from the Jewish cannon to learn what insights they have to offer on how we show up for the people we love. Resources include the Good Jewish Lover Podcast and How to be a Good Jewish Lover.
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Healthy Jewish Masculinity: Patriarchy - the system of social structures by which men and women are locked into rigid and damaging roles - is widely recognized as damaging to women and children – and it has also been damaging to men. Many men are alienated from their own feelings in ways that diminish their lives and the lives of those around them. Hidden among the patriarchal structures of Judaism are also tools that can help men connect authentically to their own feelings and the interior lives of those around them. Resources include Becoming a Man and Good Jewish Lover with Jackson Katz.
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I (don’t) Believe in God: Many American Jews - including those who are deeply connected to Judaism - are alienated from an authoritarian, patriarchal religious framework that simply does not resonate with them. Fortunately, the Jewish tradition has many other theologies which are more relevant for contemporary audiences, even if they are not always immediately apparent. Resources include I (don’t) Believe in God and God as a Work of Art.
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Synagogues as Laboratories: The American synagogue emerged and developed in times that were significantly different from our current moment, and the synagogues that succeed are those that are responsive to this moment. We’ll explore experiments conducted in the Jewish community of Beacon, NY - collaborations with arts associations and Zen priests, services in the woods and on kayaks, inviting Hebrew school students to conduct burials in our cemetery and slaughter chickens in accordance with Jewish law. More resources On Beacon, NY’s Main Street, a sukkah turns town hall and Synagogue Reenergized.
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To inquire about booking Rabbi Brent for a lecture, class or workshop, please be in touch.
Outside
Rabbi Brent is equally comfortable creating experiences for on-line gatherings, learning indoors and exploring the natural world, both for children and adults. To learn more about opportunities with Rabbi Brent in the wilderness, click here.
“I lead a staff that includes secular Israelis and Orthodox Jews, and we had Rabbi Brent lead us on a contemplative hike at the beginning of our staff retreat. He brought wisdom from traditional sources and somehow made it resonate with the entire staff. The energy, insight and enthusiasm Rabbi Brent brought reverberated through the entire retreat, and I look forward to working with him again in the future!”
Gil Galanos, CEO, iTrek