Our guest this week, Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer, is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Emanu-El, Providence, where he served for twenty five years, and where he was responsible for educational programming and supervising the School and Youth Directors. Rabbi Kaunfer was also the founding Director of the Alperin Schechter Day School in Providence, which he headed for 13 years. He is a graduate of Brandeis University, and he was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, from which institution he also holds a Doctoral degree in Education. Rabbi Kaunfer has taught courses in Jewish Education at the Davidson School of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and at Hebrew College in Boston. He has published articles on education and on midrash in several professional journals and books. Rabbi Kaunfer is the father of our past Torah-Talk guest Rabbi Elie Kaunfer.
This week's Torah Portion – Parashat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10) – continues giving us the instructions concerning the tabernacle, focusing on the role of the priesthood. Our discussion focuses on the relation between the 'Ner Tamid' – the perpetual light of the Temple – and the elaborate description of the clothing of the priests.
If you would like to learn more about Parashat Tetzaveh, check out our discussion with Rabbi Gil Steinlauf
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