Personal Memories of Great Men
5 Lectures

Here is a collection of personal reminisences by Rabbi Berel Wein - of five great men of the past generation. Not biographies or historical assessments, but rather human interest recollections of great people who have had an affect on the life of Rabbi Wein, as they have on the lives of countless others. "Everyone in life meets great people, and it has been my good fortune to not only meet them but to have interacted with them," said Rabbi Wein. This collection is a more intimate view of their lives and characters than any written history.

Individual lectures:

Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky - The mark of a truly great man is that he never makes anyone else feel small. This affectionate portrait captures Rav Kaminetzky's gentle manners and love for humanity, proving that this Torah giant indeed treated all people with the dignity human beings deserve.

Rabbi Alexander Shlomo Rosenberg - More than just a kashrus supervisor, the former head of the OU was a visionary dedicated to Jewish continuity after the Holocaust. With Rabbi Wein's heart-warming recollections and stories of this impressive man whose business savvy was surpassed only by his uncompromising integrity, listeners will be grateful for the path he paved for Torah observance in our present times.

Rabbi Kahaneman, the Ponovizher Rov - In the 1960's, Rabbi Wein was given "the opportunity of a lifetime" - he became an assistant to the Ponevezher Rov while he fundraised in Miami Beach. As a result, he was privileged to hear the Rov's recollections of the Holocaust, the wars in Israel, and his leadership in reviving Torah Jewry. Rabbi Wein shares these stories, delivering a lecture that will keep listeners absolutely riveted.

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik - Rabbi Wein first encountered Rabbi Soloveitchik, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon, in his student years, but he grew closest to him later in his position as head of kashrus at the OU. With stories that exemplify the Rosh Yeshiva's extraordinary scholarship and acerbic wit, Rabbi Wein gives a picture not only of this great man but of the challenges of a rabbinic life.

Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rov - Controversial for his outspoken anti-Zionist stance, the Satmar Rov was nevertheless one of the most influential Chassidic leaders of the 20th century. This rare glimpse into his life as seen by Rabbi Wein includes the Rov's reaction to the liberation of Jerusalem in the War of 1967 and his phenomenal rebuilding of his community out of the ashes of the Holocaust.