מָה־אָהַבְתִּי תוֹרָתֶךָ
How I love your Torah (Ps. 119:97)
For four decades, Rabbi Roly Matalon has helped nurture a deep and expansive love of Torah at BJ—affirming learning as a spiritual practice that shapes how we live, pray, and show up in the world.
In celebration of Roly’s 40 years of service, we are excited to present a seven-week learning series featuring beloved teachers, colleagues, and friends who have walked alongside him on the path of Torah. Together, they offer teachings that reflect the depth, curiosity, and spiritual seriousness that have animated Roly’s rabbinate and shaped Torah learning at BJ.
This week, we will welcome Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein to teach a session titled, Ezer Kenegdo: A Helper Who Confronts.
Marcelo will explore “ezer kenegdo” – a helper who stands across from you – as a way into understanding one of the defining qualities of Rabbi Roly Matalon’s spiritual leadership. Drawing on Jewish text and lived relationship, this session considers a form of help rooted not in easy agreement or comfort, but in honesty, presence, and care. An ezer kenegdo challenges us to see more clearly, inviting growth through thoughtful confrontation and deep respect.
Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein was a BJ rabbi from 1995 to 2020.
Across the series, distinguished teachers and friends of Roly – including Rabbi Arthur Green, Rabbi Jan Urbach, Rabbi Irwin Kula, Rabbi Michael Paley, Dr. Nathaniel Berman, Rabbi Joy Levitt, and Rabbi Michael Strassfeld – offer Torah in celebration of Roly’s 40 years of service and the vibrant culture of learning he has helped cultivate at BJ.
The series culminates on Tikkun Leil Shavuot, when our community gathers for a night of learning dedicated to Roly’s 40 years of service, featuring Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, followed by learning with the BJ rabbis and rabbinic fellows.
