Congregation Aish Kodesh () is an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation and

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located in Woodmere, Nassau County, on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, in the United States. Led since its founding in 1992 by Rabbi

Moshe Weinberger Rabbi Moshe Weinberger (born June 1, 1957) is an American Chasidic rabbi, educator, author, translator, and speaker. He is the founding rabbi of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, New York, and former ''Mashpia''/''mashgiach ruchani'' at the Ra ...

, the synagogue was named after the

Piaseczna Piaseczna () is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Węgliniec, within Zgorzelec County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Lower Silesian Voivodeship (, ) in southwestern Poland, is one of the 16 Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeships (p ...

Rav, Rabbi

Kalonymus Kalman Shapira Kalonimus Kalman Szapiro (English: Kalonymus Kalman Shapira or Klonimus Kalmish Szapiro) (20 May 1889 – 3 November 1943) was the Grand Rabbi of Piaseczno, Poland, who authored a number of works and was murdered by the Nazis during the Holo ...

, known by the name of his last work, ''Aish Kodesh'', who was a leading Polish Hasidic rabbi in prewar Europe. By injecting

Hasidic Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...

elements into the prayer services, social events, and daily classes, Aish Kodesh has been called a "phenomenon" and a "revolution" in the religious community of Long Island.Besser, Yisroel. "Breslov Revisited". ''

Mishpacha ''Mishpacha'' () - Jewish Family Weekly is a Haredi weekly magazine package produced by The Mishpacha Group in both English and Hebrew. History ''Mishpacha'' is one of the four major English-language newspapers and magazines serving the Hared ...

'', May 12, 2010, pp. 30-40.

History

Aish Kodesh was founded in December 1992 by a group led by Rabbi

, a native of

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

, New York, who received

rabbinic ordination ''Semikhah'' () is the traditional term for rabbiinic ordination in Judaism. The original ''semikhah'' was the formal "transmission of authority" from Moses through the generations. This form of ''semikhah'' ceased between 360 and 425 CE. Si ...

from

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS ) is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University (YU). It is located along Amsterdam Avenue in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Named after Yitzchak Elchanan S ...

(RIETS). Raised in a Modern Orthodox home, Weinberger earned master's degrees in

Jewish philosophy Jewish philosophy () includes all philosophy carried out by Jews or in relation to the religion of Judaism. Until the modern ''Haskalah'' (Jewish Enlightenment) and Jewish emancipation, Jewish philosophy was preoccupied with attempts to reconc ...

from the

Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies The Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies was Yeshiva University’s first graduate school. Founded in 1937, it was named for Yeshiva University's first president, Bernard Revel, upon his death in 1940. Its curriculum prepares highly train ...

Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a Private university, private Modern Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.

, and in

educational administration Academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities. Some ...

from

Columbia University Teachers College Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate school of education affiliated with Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since ...

, and taught in

Jewish day school A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide children of Jews, Jewish parents with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full-time basis. The term "day school" is used to differentiat ...

s for two decades before becoming the rabbi of Aish Kodesh. Weinberger named the synagogue after the

Rav, Rabbi

, known by the name of his last work, ''Aish Kodesh'' (Holy Fire), who was a leading Polish Hasidic rabbi in prewar Europe. He explained his choice in a 1999 article in ''

Jewish Action ''Jewish Action'' is an American Orthodox Jewish magazine published by the Orthodox Union. The magazine generally presents a Modern Orthodox viewpoint, and covers "topics of interest to an international Orthodox Jewish audience... ncludingartic ...

'':

The Rebbe was truly a holy fire sent to warm the hearts and illuminate the minds of a broken generation. In the depth of the darkness, he remained steadfast in his unshakable faith in the immortality of Knesses Yisrael he Congregation of Israel Our generation has been resurrected from the ashes of
Auschwitz Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It consisted of Auschw ...
and
Treblinka Treblinka () was the second-deadliest extermination camp to be built and operated by Nazi Germany in Occupation of Poland (1939–1945), occupied Poland during World War II. It was in a forest north-east of Warsaw, south of the Treblinka, ...
, yet we have fallen into a state of spiritual numbness, a life of cold prayers, empty
mitzvos In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word (; , ''mīṣvā'' , plural ''mīṣvōt'' ; "commandment") refers to a commandment from God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law () in large part consists of discussion of these commandments ...
, rote
learning Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, value (personal and cultural), values, Attitude (psychology), attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, non-human animals, and ...
, and an overall sense of spiritual alienation . . . Thus our experiment began with the Aish Kodesh as our role model for spiritual renewal and the
Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulhan Arukh'' ( ),, often called "the Code of Jewish Law", is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Rabbinic Judaism. It was authored in the city of Safed in what is now Israel by Joseph Karo in 1563 and published in ...
as our guide to uncompromising halachic observance.

Weinberger introduced Hasidic practices and teachings into the congregation to forge connection and meaning in Jewish observance. These practices include leading the congregation in song and dance after prayer services, as well as accompanying congregants on tours of ''kivrei tzaddikim'' (graves of the righteous) in Ukraine and Israel. Weinberger teaches the works of the Piaseczna Rav in weekly lectures at the synagogue and since 2000 has conducted an annual hillula celebration on the

yahrtzeit Yahrzeit (, plural , ) is the anniversary of a death in Judaism. It is traditionally commemorated by reciting the Kaddish in synagogue and by lighting a long-burning candle. Name The word ''Yahrzeit'' is a borrowing from the Yiddish (), ul ...

of the Piaseczna Rav as well as on

Lag BaOmer Lag BaOmer (, ''LaG Bāʿōmer''), also Lag B'Omer or Lag LaOmer, is a Judaism, Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew calendar, Hebrew month of Iyar. Accordin ...

, the hillula of Rabbi

Shimon bar Yochai Shimon bar Yochai ( Zoharic Aramaic: , ''Šimʿon bar Yoḥay'') or Shimon ben Yochai (Mishnaic Hebrew: ), also known by the acronym Rashbi, was a 2nd-century tanna or sage of the period of Roman Judaea and early Syria Palaestina. He was one ...

, which each attract more than 1,000 attendees. In 2015 a collection of Weinberger's

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

discourses delivered at the annual hillula for the Piaseczna Rav was published under the title ''Warmed by the Fire of the Aish Kodesh''. Weinberger's lectures and the daily schedule of classes for men and women draw on a wide variety of Hasidic sources, including the

Baal Shem Tov Israel ben Eliezer (According to a forged document from the "Kherson Geniza", accepted only by Chabad, he was born in October 1698. Some Hasidic traditions place his birth as early as 1690, while Simon Dubnow and other modern scholars argue f ...

, Ramchal, Rebbe

Nachman of Breslov Nachman of Breslov ( ''Rabbī'' ''Naḥmān mīBreslev''), also known as Rabbi Nachman of Breslev, Rabbi Nachman miBreslev, Reb Nachman of Bratslav, Reb Nachman Breslover ( ''Rebe Nakhmen Breslover''), and Nachman from Uman (April 4, 1772 – O ...

, the

Baal HaTanya Shneur Zalman of Liadi, (; September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 O.S. / 18 Elul 5505 – 24 Tevet 5573) commonly known as the Alter Rebbe or Baal Hatanya, was a rabbi and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism. He ...

, and

Izbica Izbica ( ''Izhbitz, Izhbitze'') is a town in the Krasnystaw County of the Lublin Voivodeship in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina administrative district called Gmina Izbica. It lies approximately south of Krasnystaw and south-east of ...

, as well as the

Vilna Gaon Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman''), also known as the Vilna Gaon ( ''Der Vilner Goen''; ; or Elijah of Vilna, or by his Hebrew acronym Gr"a ("Gaon Rabbenu Eliyahu": "Our great teacher Elijah"; Sialiec, April 23, 172 ...

, Rabbi Tzadok Hakohen, and Rabbi

Avraham Yitzchak Kook Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook (; 7 September 1865 – 1 September 1935), known as HaRav Kook, and also known by the Hebrew-language acronym Hara'ayah (), was an Orthodox rabbi, and the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of British Mandatory Palestine. H ...

among many others. Modern-day Hasidic works by Rabbi

Sholom Noach Berezovsky Sholom Noach Berezovsky (; August 18, 1911 – August 8, 2000) was the rebbe (hereditary rabbinic leader) of the Slonim (Hasidic dynasty), Slonim dynasty of hasidim from 1981 until his death. His teachings were published as a series of books ...

, the previous Slonimer

Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

of Jerusalem, The Lubavitcher Rebbe, and Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter of

Breslov Breslov (also Bratslav and Breslev) is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810), a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism. Its adherents strive to develop an intense, joyous relationship with ...

are also studied.

Building design

The synagogue building is modeled after a Polish Hasidic ''

shtiebel A shtiebel (, pl. ''shtibelekh'') is a place used for communal Jewish prayer. In contrast to a formal synagogue, a shtiebel is far smaller and approached more casually. It is typically as small as a room in a private home or a place of business ...

''. Completed in 2002, the front doors are replicas of the doors fronting the Rema synagogue in

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

. A huge mural depicting the

Warsaw Ghetto The Warsaw Ghetto (, officially , ; ) was the largest of the Nazi ghettos during World War II and the Holocaust. It was established in November 1940 by the Nazi Germany, German authorities within the new General Government territory of Occupat ...

appears inside the entrance. Israeli artist Ofra Friedland was commissioned to produce "murals, ceramics, paintings, bronze sculpture, stained glass windows, woodwork and stone artwork" throughout the synagogue. In the main sanctuary, the high

mechitza A ''mechitza'' (, partition or division, pl.: , ) in Judaism is a partition, particularly one that is used to separate men and women. The rationale in halakha (Jewish law) for a partition dividing men and women is derived from the Babylonian ...

separating the men's and women's sections contains one-way glass so that women can observe the proceedings. Designed by Reuben Gross, the synagogue has capacity for 400 people in its

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred space, sacred place, such as a shrine, protected by ecclesiastical immunity. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This seconda ...

. In 2015 the synagogue received $75,000 in federal funding from the

United States Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the Interior minister, interior, Home Secretary ...

toward the installation of security enhancements such as "forced-entry-resistant technology, security-modified doors, alarm systems and surveillance cameras".

Rabbinic leadership

* Rabbi

, Founder & Morah d'Asrah (Head Rabbi) * Rabbi Yehoshua Rubenstein, Mashpia * Rabbi Yirmy Ginsburg, Assistant Rabbi

References

Sources

* *

External links

*
"Video: The Story of Rav Moshe Weinberger and Aish Kodesh"
March 1, 2016
"Rekindling the Flame: Neo-Chassidus Brings the Inner Light of Torah to Modern Orthodoxy"
''

'', December 1, 2014 {{DEFAULTSORT:Aish Kodesh 1992 establishments in New York (state) 21st-century synagogues in the United States Hasidic Judaism in New York (state) Hasidic synagogues in the United States Jewish organizations established in 1992 Orthodox synagogues in New York (state) Synagogues completed in 2002 Synagogues in Nassau County, New York