Rabbi Brody spent the weekend of March 7-11, 2024 in New Jersey where he was the scholar-in-residence at Congregation AABJ&D and spoke about end-of-life care and military ethics. He also had the opportunity to speak about Ematai’s consult helpline and end-of-life care at the Hebrew Institute of White Plains.

Rabbi Brody spent the weekend of February 15-19, 2024 in New York and New Jersey. Some of the highlights of the trip included speaking at the Einstein Synagogue, a Netivot event with JOWMA, networking at the Chemed Conference, Shabbat scholar-in-residence at Lincoln Square Synagogue, and lectures at Congregation Rinat Yisrael and the YU Seforim Sale.

Rabbi Brody visited South Florida from February 8-12, 2024 where he was the scholar-in-residence at Young Israel of Hollywood. Rabbi Brody also spoke at Boca Raton Synagogue, Young Israel of Bal Harbour, and the Willie and Celia Trump Synagogue. His lectures covered a broad range of topics including end-of-life care, advance planning, and military ethics. Rabbi Brody met with the chaplains of Mishkan Miami and visited the Posnack School where he spoke to 60 high school students about organ donation.

Rabbi Brody spent the weekend of January 4-7th, 2024 in Los Angeles where he was the scholar in residence at Young Israel of Century City. Rabbi Brody also spoke at Shalhevet High School on organ donation in conjunction with One Legacy, as well as to the Jewish Doctors Network on “Should Jewish Values Impact  American Medical Practices? Religious Conscience and Health Care Policies.”

Ematai, in conjunction with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, organized the first annual advance healthcare and financial planning community fair in LA on January 7, 2024. The fair was hosted by Young Israel of Century City and sponsored by Jewish Family Service of LA, Mount Sinai Memorial Parks, and Los Angeles Jewish Health. There were sessions by Selwyn Gerber on financial planning, Rabbi Brody and Rabbi Weiner on advance directives, and aging well with Patricia Greenberg. You can learn more about the fair here. To bring a community fair to your area, contact us at office@ematai.org.

Rabbi Brody led a Netivot signing event for OU Spirit on December 26, 2023. The recording can be found here.

Rabbi Brody spent the weekend of November 23-26, 2023 in Toronto where he was the scholar in residence at the BAYT. Rabbi Brody spoke throughout Shabbat as well as led a Netivot signing event on Motzai Shabbat. Rabbi Brody also spoke about the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada at the Asifas Rabbonim as well as for the Beit Midrash Zichron Dov & Rafael Society.

Rabbi Brody was the keynote speaker at the Health & Social Services Fair at Congregation Shaarei Shomayim on November 26.

Rabbi Brody led a four-part series with Torah in Motion on “Ethical Dilemmas in End-of-Life Care.” The recordings can be found here.

Harvard Hillel hosted a discussion between Rabbi Brody and Professor Michael Walzer on “War and Morality.” The recording can be found here.

Genesis 123 Foundation hosted a discussion between Rabbi Brody and Maj. Elliot Chodoff on “Fighting an Ethical War with an Unethical Enemy.” The recording can be found here.

In collaboration with Life’s Door, Rabbi Brody joined Dvora Corn, co-found of Life’s Door, for a discussion about “Trauma and Tragedy from Afar.” The event was co-sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Rabbinical Council of America. The recording can be found here.

Rabbi Brody was the scholar-in-residence at Cong. Kehilath Jeshurun over the weekend of October 20-21 where he spoke five times including an in-person Netivot advance directive signing event.

Over Sukkot, Rabbi Brody spoke at two congregations in Jerusalem. Kehillat Eretz Hemdah on “Hidur & Materialism in Daled Minim and Kohelet” and Kehillat Nitzanim on “Walking Out of Yizkor and Confronting Mortality.” 

Rabbi Brody led a virtual Netivot signing where he explained the importance of signing an advance directive and addressed common questions that come up when completing this important document. The recording is available here.

As part of the Confronting Mortality with Faith & Meaning: The Legacy of Dodi Tobin z”l video series, Rabbi Brody moderated a discussion with Rabbanit Shani Taragin, Rebbetzin Abby Lerner, and Rabbi Yaacov Lerner about ‘Living Meaningfully in the New Year’. The recording is available here.

The Jewish Physicians Network hosted Rabbi Brody and Dr. Moshe Cohn, one of our medical advisory board members, for a fascinating discussion on “End of Life Dilemmas in Halacha.” You can watch the recording here.

Our virtual Tisha B’Av lecture series with Rabbi Brody and Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner drew a great crowd with interesting discussion. If you missed the lectures, you can watch the recording on our website.

On June 18, Rabbi Brody delivered the 5th Annual Baruch Brody Memorial Lecture titled “Is There a Moment of Death? Organ Donation and the Times of Death.” A Shiur in Memory and Based on the Thought of Baruch Brody a”h

Two in-person Netivot launch events were held in June at Young Israel of Hillcrest (June 10) and Congregation Bnai Yeshurun (June 11) where Rabbi Brody spoke about the importance of the Netivot advance healthcare directive and conversation guide.

Rabbi Brody was the scholar in residence at Young Israel of Hillcrest June 9-10 where he spoke about organ donation, end-of-life issues, and Netivot.

Ematai co-sponsored with Torah in Motion the 2023 Jewish Medical Ethics Conference in Toronto May 18-21. The conference featured Dr. Michelle Friedman, Dr. Debbie Akerman, Rabbi Brody, and Ematai rabbinic advisory board members Rabbi Prof. Avraham Steinberg and Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt.

Rabbi Brody spoke about “Option 18: Halakhic Organ Donation” at Beit Knesset Netzach Menashe (June 4), Kehilat Shaarei Yonah Menachem (May 7) and at Bet Knesset Zayit Ra’anan (May 14).

Rabbi Shimshon Nadel, our Israel Educator, spoke at Midreshet Amit on May 11.

Ematai executive director, Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody, delivered 7 shiurim over Pesach in the greater Chicagoland area. Many thanks to the following shuls for their gracious hospitality: Cong. Or Torah (Rabbi Zvi Engel), Cong. Chovevei Tzion (Rabbi Shaanan Gelman), Cong. KINS North (Rabbi Leonard Matanky / Rabbi Aaron Leibtag), and Devonshire Minyan (R’ Marc Geller).

Rabbi Brody served as scholar-in-residence at the Young Israel of Fort Lee on the weekend of March 10-11 and at Mt. Sinai Jewish Center on the weekend of February 24-25.

Other recent lectures include:

Stamford Chevra Kadisha, “New Dilemmas in End-of-Life Care: Halakhic Perspectives” (March 12)

Congregation Rinat Yisrael, “Between Death and Life: Yibum, Orphanhood, and the Controversy over Posthumous Sperm Retrieval” (Feb 26)

Columbia University Hillel, “Religious Liberty and Modern Healthcare: Can Jewish Doctors Take Part in Procedures that Go Against Their Conscience?” (Feb 26)

6-Part Online Series on “Halakha, Public Policy, and End-of-Life Dilemmas” with Torah-in-Motion

3-Part Online Series on “Halakha, Public Policy, and the Sanctity of Life” with Congregation Shaar Hashamoyim (Montreal).

If your synagogue or organization would like to book an in-person or online event with Rabbi Brody, please contact-us.