Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield
Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield
is the spiritual leader of congregation P’nai Or of Portland. P’nai Or is
affiliated with the Network of Jewish Renewal Communities. The Jewish Renewal
movement is characterized by its egalitarianism, inclusivity, radical
universalism, joy, song, and focus on the mystical tradition within Judaism.
He has been very active in interfaith work since 1976, is currently a co-chair
of the Interfaith Council of Greater Portland, and is a frequent
speaker/performer at Christian and Muslim public events and houses of worship.
He has traveled to Germany on a number of occasions to help facilitate dialogue
and healing between Jews and Germans willing to face together the painful
history of the Holocaust. He has also led groups to Israel and Palestine to
engage in dialogue with peacemakers on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
Rabbi Hirschfield is an internationally-known performer of original and
traditional Jewish music. While many of his songs draw their inspiration from
Jewish sacred texts, he is known for his ability to bring audiences of diverse
religious and ethnic backgrounds together in song to connect with a sense of the
Sacred beyond any label or denomination.