Manis Friedman
Rabbi Manis Friedman (born 1946) is a Chabad Lubavitch Hassid. He is a noted biblical scholar, author, counselor and speaker and is the dean of the Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies.
Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1946 Friedman immigrated with his family to the United States in 1950. He received his rabbinic ordination at the Rabbinical College of Canada in 1969.
A noted biblical scholar, author, counselor and speaker Rabbi Friedman is recognized mostly for his exceptional grasp of Jewish mysticism. Friedman is dean of the Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies.
He hosts a cable television series, Torah Forum with Manis Friedman, syndicated within North America. Friedman's first book, "Doesn't Anyone Blush Anymore?", was published in 1990. It is currently in its fourth printing. Since the 70's more than 150,000 of Friedman's recorded classes and lectures have been sold.
Manis Friedman's brother is the renowned Jewish singer Avraham Fried.
Activities
In 1971, with Rabbi Schneerson's guidance Manis Friedman founded the world's first school of Jewish studies exclusively for woman with little or no formal Jewish education, the Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies in Minnesota, where he continues to serve as dean.
From 1984-1990 he served as the simultaneous translator for the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson's televised talks. Friedman still serves as senior translator for most of the Lubavitch publishing houses including Kehot Publications Society and Jewish Educational Media Inc.
Friedman's lectures are widely known as the best in Hassidic Judaism. His speaking engagements have brought him to hundreds of cities throughout the US as well as London, Hong Kong, Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia and a number of South and Central American cities.
In the wake of the natural disasters in 2004 and 2005 Friedman authored a practical guide to help rescue and relief workers properly understand and deal with the needs Jewish survivors.
Teachings
Though not extensively published, Friedman's teachings have been cited by many authors on issues of healthy relationships, modern societal problems as well as Jewish topics. Friedman's student and fellow author Shmuley Boteach cites Friedman often, including in his books "The Private Adam" (2005) and "Dating Secrets of the Ten Commandments" (2001). B. Holstein quotes Friedman in his book "Enchanted Self: A Positive Therapy" (1997), Angela Payne quotes him in her book "Living Every Single Moment: Embrace Your Purpose Now" (2004) and in "A Breath of Life: Feminism in the American Jewish Community (Brandeis Series in American Jewish History, Culture, and Life)" by Sylvia Barack Fishman (1995). Lynn Davidman in her book "Tradition in a Rootless World" (1993) credits Friedman with playing a key role in the resurgence of Orthodox Judaism among women. In two separate autobiographies, "Playing with Fire: One Woman's Remarkable Odyssey" by Tova Mordechai (1991) and "Shanda: The Making and Breaking of a Self-Loathing Jew" by Neal Karlen (2004) both authors credit Friedman for their own return to Judaism.
With Bob Dylan
In the 1980's Manis Friedman accompanied Bob Dylan to a farbrengen (hasidic gathering) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Brooklyn. Dylan had frequented Friedman's home in St. Paul. Friedman's book eventually won a blurb from Dylan, "Anyone who is married or thinking about getting married would do well to read this book."
Family
Manis Friedman is married to Chana Friedman. Chana is the daughter of the late Rabbi Sholom B. Gordon, former director of Chabad of Maplewood, NJ and co-founder of Rabbinical College of America. Chana's mother Miriam Gordon lives in Brooklyn. Both Chana's mother and father are children of prominent followers of the Lubavitcher Rebbes, Rabbi Yoseph Yitzchok and Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. Friedman is the father of fourteen children. His oldest son, Rabbi Yossi Friedman, is the associate director of Chabad of Alabama. Friedman's oldest daughter is married to Rabbi Avraham Bernstien, director of Chabad of Freehold, NJ. His next daughter is married to Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, director of the north-eastern branch of The Aleph Institute. Another son Rabbi Yochanan Friedman is the director of Chabad of Santa Cruz, CA. His two sons Rabbis Mordechai and Chayim Friedman founded the Yeshiva High School of the Twin Cities, Mordechai acts as administrator and Chayim as principal. Rabbi Eliyahu Friedman is the director of Chabad of Calabasas, CA. Rabbi Boruch Zvi Friedman is an elementary school teacher in St. Paul, MN. Daughter Fruma married Rabbi Avraham Y. Perlstein, director of Chabad of Salem, OR. Tenth child, Rabbi Shmuel Friedman married Rivkah Alevsky, daughter of north-eastern Ohio's chief Chabad emissary Rabbi Leib Alevsky, and is currently teaching in Morristown, New Jersey. Next son Benny Friedman makes his living performing Chassidic Music in the style of his father's brother Avraham Fried. His son Zalman is a teacher and mentor in [Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad in Los Angeles Friedman's other children, Nissen and Mushka are still in school.
Published Works
Books
- Doesn't Anyone Blush Anymore? Reclaiming Modesty, Intimacy and Sexuality.
- The Relief and Rescue Workers Guide to Judaism - a Rescue Workers Handbook.
Audio
- The Art of Living (12 lectures based on Igros Kodesh)
- Chassidic Thoughts at Bais Chana (16 lectures on every aspect of Judaism)
- Family - Getting to Like The People You Love (14 lectures on healthy relation ships)
- Holiday Series (9 lectures on modern application of holiday messages)
- It's Good To Know (16 lectures; the answers to the hardest questions)
- Living With The Times (54 of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson's lectures on Torah)
- Rambam - Perplexed No More! (14 lectures - the mysticism behind Maimonides' teachings)
- The Rest of the Story (20 telling stories)
- The Ring of Truth - Jewish Philosophy (4 lectures)
- The Ring of Truth – Faith (6 lectures)
- The Ring of Truth - The Inner Jew (6 lectures)
- The Ring of Truth - On Torah and Mitzvos (5 lectures)
- The Ring of Truth - The Vast Eternal Plan (5 lectures)
- How To Be A Mentch (12 lectures base on the Ethics of Our Fathers)
- The Tanya (42 Lectures on the most basic Hassidic Text)
- Get To Know Your Soul (12 lectures on why you do what you do)
- The Holistic and Kabbalistic; Kabbalah and Homeopathy
- Not for Women Only; Relationships
- Moshiach; Why Believe When You can Understand?
- Why Me; Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
- You Are What You Believe
- What's Love Got To Do With It; Three ingredients to everlasting love.
- Nothing Besides Him - Tanya for everyone!