Adult Ed Wednesday Fall 2025 Mini Series

Wednesdays, November 19, December 3, December 10 at 7:00 PM
In person at Brith Shalom and on YouTube

The afterlife remains a source of fascination for all of us. If we could be sure of its existence, many of us might make very different choices in our current lives. The entire question of morality, reward and punishment, and “why bad things happen to good people” would be even more difficult, if not impossible, to explain if nothing existed beyond. The very purpose of man’s existence is tied to this question.

Join us for an exploration of Jewish thought on the World to Come from three different perspectives: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform.  

November 19th: Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe - The Orthodox View  
  
Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe grew up in a family deeply rooted in Torah scholarship. Born in Jerusalem, and raised in New York, he studied in some of the most prominent and respected Torah centers like Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, and Beth Medrash Gevoha in Lakewood, NJ. Rabbi Wolbe holds several Rabbinic ordinations from former Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Z"L and from Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits of the Jerusalem Kollel.  
  
Inspired by the desire to connect Jews with their heritage, Rabbi Wolbe has been involved in outreach efforts since 1996, serving communities across the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Canada, and Israel. Rabbi Wolbe has published numerous books in the Russian Language and distributed over 12,000 copies to the multitude of Jewish communities he was serving. 
  
Much of Rabbi Wolbe's approach to teaching is influenced by his grandfather, the revered Mussar Master, Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe Z"L. He feels privileged to teach Mussar classes throughout the Houston community, hoping to share the wisdom he learned from his grandfather and pass on the message of meaningful and inspiring Judaism. 
  
Rabbi Wolbe lives in Houston with his wife, Zehava, raising their eight children: Dovi, Meira, Shlomo, Ahuva, Yehuda, Yitzi, Hadassah, and Rivka. Since 2005, he's worked with TORCH, contributing to Jewish education in the community. 
  
December 3rd: Rabbi David Mendelson - The Conservative View 
  
Rabbi David Mendelson, a 2023 graduate of The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, was honored with the Yechiel Goldhaar Memorial Prize for Excellence in Hebrew Literature (2019) and the Henry Fisher Award for Outstanding Achievement in Jewish Studies (2021, 2023). He currently serves as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Yeshurun. Most recently, Rabbi Mendelson served as a rabbi at HaMakom in Los Angeles, where he led dynamic educational programs, engaged the community, and provided pastoral care.  As an educator, Rabbi Mendelson taught adult learning courses in Jewish history and Talmud, making traditional texts accessible.  Before joining HaMakom, Rabbi Mendelson served as a rabbinic intern at Temple Aliyah and taught at Congregation Tikvat Jacob and Ikar. Originally from Roswell, GA, he discovered his passion for Jewish education through a Birthright trip and went on to teach at Temple Kol Emeth and Congregation B’nai Torah, as well as working on the education staff at Camp Ramah Darom. Rabbi Mendelson holds a B.A. in U.S. History from Kennesaw State University. In his free time, Rabbi Mendelson spends time with his wife, Sara Mendelson, their rescue dog Gizmo and any of his six guitars. He enjoys watching films and listening to his vinyl record collection. 
  
December 10th: Rabbi Samuel Rheins - The Reform View 
  
Rabbi Samuel Rheins was ordained rabbi at HUC-JIR in Cincinnati on June 1, 2024. Shortly afterwards, Rabbi Rheins moved to Houston to join us as Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel.  
  
Rabbi Rheins grew up in Denver, where both of his parents are Reform rabbis. He grew up in the Reform movement, attended Reform Jewish summer camp, and graduated from University of Colorado, Boulder, with a major in history and a minor in Jewish Studies in 2017. After college, he spent a year in Israel at Pardes Institute for Jewish Education before entering rabbinical school at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem and Cincinnati.  
  
Rabbi Rheins explains, “I view myself as a rabbi who promotes Jewish unity and togetherness not only during hard times such as these, but all the time. As a rabbi, one of my goals is to strengthen Jewish community and connectedness based on our shared history, traditions, and values.” 
  
Rabbi Rheins enjoys being with people, preparing for his role as rabbi on the bimah, teaching Torah to all ages, engaging with children, and sharing his joy of Judaism.