Position: Rabbi/Chaplain

  • Greater Miami Jewish Federation
  • Accentcare Hospice, Broward County
  • Adjunct Faculty at various universities, seminary programs and congregations.

Specializations

  • Life Cycle Events: Especially Funerals, Shiva and Unveilings
  • Healing and Memorial Services
  • Torah and Text Study Programs: Both Jewish and Non-Jewish
  • Bereavement: Counseling, Workshops, Retreats
  • Hospice Chaplaincy
  • Teaching/Education for all adult programming
  • Jewish Book Groups
  • Visiting the Sick/Bikkur Cholim Programs, Director of Volunteer Training and Supervision
  • End of Life Programs, Director of Volunteer Training and Website
  • Tikkun Olam/Repairing the World Programs, Especially Human Trafficking and Refugee Issues and on the Board of BCV, Inc. related to Social Justice Podcasts
  • Writing/Editing as well as on the Board of Jewish Publications Society
  • On Spiritual Care Boards of Directors for Jackson Memorial Hospital and Baptist Memorial Hospital
  • Formerly on the Executive Boards of Neshama, the Association for Jewish Chaplains and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami
  • Interfaith Services, Workshops, and Programs

 

Thesis Title: Abstract

Menschlekeit Matters: A Framework for a Jewish Character Development Program

This Master’s Thesis presents the theoretical foundation for training and curriculum materials, entitled, Menschlekeit Matters. It was developed with Congregation Kehillat Israel, Pacific Palisades, CA, in partnership with the Josephson Institute of Ethics, Los Angeles, CA, under the auspices of a major Covenant Foundation Grant. In addition, the Menschlekeit Mattters Program functioned as a congregational change agent, shifting the culture at Kehillat Israel to embody positive Jewish values across all areas of community engagement in worship services, board and committee meetings, as well as programs and the monthly newsletters. Also, Menschlekeit Matters has been used as a model for other curricula that have emerged since it was developed, specifically, the Templeton Foundation Grant Tikkun Middot Project for Jewish Organizations.

Menschlekeit Matters teaches Jewish values, focusing on: Emunah (Trustworthiness), Kavod (Respect), Aharayut (Responsibility), Chesed (Caring), Tzedek (Fairness), Kehillah (Citizenship) and Kedushah (Holiness). It uses a methodology that comes out of the Jewish tradition of moral education and is grounded in the teaching of ethics as well as the modern Mussar movement. The behaviors that it focuses on are based on the universal behaviors found in the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program. The curriculum guide included as part of the Master’s Thesis presents deliverable for the grant. In the evaluation of the program, the data indicated board, parent, student, and teacher satisfaction along with significant increases in the Religious School enrollment, increased numbers of families at Friday night services, and an overall increase in attendance, participation, and involvement of congregational membership.

Email: CweinerMH@aol.com