The Chassidic Story: A New Window to God

A virtual presentation by Jonnie Schnytzer

Event co-sponsored by:

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Chassidic masters created a Jewish revolution, which rekindled a mass of souls that were on the verge of burning out. They chose stories & melodies over the study-hall. In this series we feel the power & charm of the Chassidic stories, as well as learn how these brought God and His Torah not only to the learned, but also to the locksmith. Let’s go back in time and hear the stories as they were told in the heart of forests, inside wagons and ultimately, penetrating into the very study-halls, which opposed the Chassidic movement (this can be 1-8 lessons focusing on the background and rise of the Besht, the story of Chassidic masters and the stories they told (Ba’al Shem Tov, R. Nahman of Breslav, The Rozhiner Rebber, Chabad etc), the many aspects of the chassidic story – the idea of a multilayered story suited for everyone; giving simple meaning as well as vehicles carrying secrets, the story as a new way of teaching Torah, the story as a magical charm redefining time etc.)

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Jonnie Schnytzer is a Phd candidate focusing on medieval kabbalah. His dissertation is focused on the kabbalistic system of thought of Rabbi Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. Jonnie is also preparing a critical edition of Ashkenazi’s commentary on Sefer Yesira. Probably the only PhD student in Jewish Philosophy who can say that he once beat the head of Israeli naval commandos in a swimming race, Jonnie’s also the author of Mossad thriller, The Way Back, which paints a picture of contemporary Israel. Jonnie has recently orchestrated the publishing of an English edition of ‘The Hitler Haggadah’, an important piece of Moroccan Jewish history from the Holocaust. Jonnie has also taken on several leadership roles in the Jewish world, including advisor to the CEO of Birthright and executive manager with StandWithUs. He lectures on a wide variety of topics relating to Judaism and Israel, especially about the untold stories and unspoken heroes of Jewish history. Jonnie is happily married, with four gorgeous little kids, lives in Israel and thinks that Australian Rules Football is the greatest sport ever invented.