RABBI WEIN ON DISCONNECTION

One of the problems that faces religious leadership in the Jewish world, especially the leadership of the great scholars and heads of the leading educational institutions here in Israel, is that there is a chasm of disconnect between them and the masses that they wish to lead and influence. I remember that once when I was a rabbi in Miami Beach many decades ago, a noted Israeli Talmudic scholar asked permission to speak on Shabbat in my synagogue. I immediately arranged for him to do so but I spoke to him in advance and said that the makeup of the synagogue would not allow for an intricate Talmudic lecture that would not be understood or appreciated.