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Ranked three years in a row in Newsweek as one of America's “50 Most Influential Rabbis”, and recognized as one of our[who?] nation's leading “Preachers & Teachers” by Beliefnet.com, interfaith activist, think tank president, and talk show host Brad Hirschfield is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism.[1](Harmony, Jan. 2008) He also conceived and hosts two series for Bridges TV-American Muslim TV Network, Building Bridges: Abrahamic Perspectives on the World Today (three seasons) and American Pilgrimage.
While clearly supporting a greater role for religion in American public life, Hirschfield is no typical "bible thumper". Having heard him now in numerous venues, it seems that he wants those who love religion the most to take responsibility for asking it the toughest questions, and for those who are most hostile to give it a second look—not so that they become religious, but because there is much wisdom even in traditions from which we[who?] may feel very far.
The only rabbi featured on ABC's Nightline UpClose, Hirschfield is a regular commentator on ethical issues for Tru-TV, and co-hosts the weekly radio show Hirschfield and Kula [2](KXL, Portland, Oregon). He appears frequently on CNN, PBS, MTV, and NPR, and was featured in PBS's Frontline: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero[3], and the acclaimed documentary, Freaks Like Me[4]. He writes a column, "For God’s Sake," [5] for the WashingtonPost/Newsweek.com's “On Faith,” and his blog, "Windows & Doors", [6] appears on Beliefnet.com, the web's biggest site for religion and spirituality.
Rabbi Hirschfield is the President of CLAL–The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a leadership training institute, think tank and resource center committed to religious pluralism and the healthier use of religion in American public life. He has addressed audiences from the Aspen Institute and the Washington National Cathedral, to the Islamic Society of North America, and many leading universities and religious institutions.
Hirschfield is the editor of Remember for Life: Holocaust Survivors’ [7] Stories of Faith and Hope (The Jewish Publication Society, 2007). He is a co-author of Embracing Life & Facing Death: A Jewish Guide to Palliative Care (CLAL, 2003). An Orthodox rabbi, he received his M.A. and M. Phil from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and his B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Rabbi Hirschfield has expressed concern on the lifting of the excommunication of bishop Richard Williamson, a member of the Society of Saint Pius X.[1]
Sources[]
[8], Brad Hirschfield's website: www.bradhirschfield.com. [9], Intelligent Talk Radio website: www.hirschfieldandkula.com. [10], "For God's Sake" Blog: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/brad_hirschfield. [11], "Windows & Doors" Blog: http://blog.beliefnet.com/windowsanddoors. [12], CLAL website: www.clal.org.