Kalman Packouz was 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 ...

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

who pioneered various Jewish educational initiatives geared towards ''

baalei teshuva In Judaism, a ''ba'al teshuvah'' ( he, בעל תשובה; for a woman, , or ; plural, , , 'master of return God]') is a Jew who adopts some form of traditional religious observance after having previously followed a Jewish secularism, secular lif ...

'' ("returnee to

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

") outreach.

Biography

Packouz was raised in Portland, Oregon, and attended Temple Beth Israel, a Reform temple. In 1979, after receiving rabbinical ordination in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, Packouz started the first Aish HaTorah branch in St. Louis. Packouz served for ten years as executive director of Aish HaTorah international operations, and was head of the

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

office of Aish HaTorah's worldwide programs. He was a contributor to simpletoremember.com. He was also a special correspondent for the '' Sun Sentinel''. He was married and the father of nine children, including former international arms dealer and inventor

David Packouz David Mordechai Packouz ( born February 16, 1982) is an American former arms dealer, musician and inventor. In 2005, Packouz joined Efraim Diveroli in Diveroli's arms company AEY Inc. By the end of 2006, the company had won 149 contracts worth a ...

. Packouz died in 2019.

Intermarriage book

Packouz spoke out on Jewish continuity through marriage, and in 1976 authored the book, ''How to Stop an Intermarriage''. The book was recently expanded and retitled as: ''How to Prevent an Intermarriage - A Guide For Parents to Prevent Broken Hearts''.

Shabbat Shalom Weekly

In 1992, Packouz launched the Shabbat Shalom Weekly, an electronic publication distributed each week via fax and email.

Kotel Webcam

In 1997, Packouz created Window on the Wall, a 24-hour live webcam from the

Western Wall The Western Wall ( he, הַכּוֹתֶל הַמַּעֲרָבִי, HaKotel HaMa'aravi, the western wall, often shortened to the Kotel or Kosel), known in the West as the Wailing Wall, and in Islam as the Buraq Wall (Arabic: حَائِط � ...

in Jerusalem.

References

External links

Shabbat Shalom WeeklyWindow on the Western Wall, Israel How to Stop an Intermarriage Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Packouz, Kalman Rabbis of Aish HaTorah American Haredi rabbis American Orthodox rabbis Year of birth missing 2019 deaths 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American rabbis