Rabbi Igal Harmelin

As a 12th grader in a secular school in Tel Aviv, I fell in love, and it changed my life. The love was not stirred by another person but by an unlikely source: Sefer Tehillim (The Book of Psalms).

Reading the Psalms was not my choice: it was a required part of that year’s curriculum. And yet, in no time, the poetry got under my skin. I told my friends that I felt jealous of King David, the Psalm’s purported author, whose love for, and intimacy with, God made my passionate love for my girlfriend seem trivial.

One could say that the fifty-plus years that have passed since then were spent chasing that love. Whether in Hindu Ashrams or with new-age gurus; whether studying the Qur’an or giving talks on the Tao Te Ching; whether teaching meditation in Hebrew, English, French or Russian—the basic motivation has always been the aspiration to unite with the Beloved. In recent years, this has led me to deepen my passion for Judaism as well as to seek training in mystical healing with inspiring teachers. Foremost among them is Thomas Hübl, whose teachings on healing collective trauma has been core to my explorations.

Throughout these years, Hassidic teachings held a special place in my heart. This was particularly true of the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslav, whose writings I was exposed to as an IDF soldier, when he was still largely unknown (early 70’s). I also found inspiration in whatever teachings I gleaned from the Zohar. It was natural, therefore, that as my relationship with, and commitment to, Judaism deepened, I delved more deeply into its mystical teachings, helped by the insights of such teachers as Rabbis Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Arthur Green. Rabbi Lisa Goldstein, my dear wife, has also been a great inspiration.

Aleph Ordination Program was a natural choice for my rabbinical training, because of its strong mystical/Hassidic emphasis, the commitment to deep ecumenism, and its spirit of innovation and openness. Learning from wonderful teachers, such as Reb Marcia Prager, Reb Elliot Ginsburg, and many others, has enriched my Jewish experience and awareness.

I hope to combine my passion and love for Judaism with the training that I received in healing collective trauma to be a source of healing in the Jewish world.