Rabbi Dr. Ari Korenblit
Temple Sholom
Brooklyn, NY
Sponsor: Rep. Hon. Anthony Weiner, (D-NY)
Date of Prayer: 11/19/2003
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
(Mr. WEINER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House of Representatives, it is my pleasure to welcome Rabbi Korenblit and thank him for delivering this morning's prayer .
Rabbi Korenblit's eloquence this morning was no surprise to those of us in Brooklyn who have come to know him as one of the community's most prominent moral leaders. Since 1997, he has been the Rabbi at Temple Sholom in Southern Brooklyn, after having served congregations in New Jersey and Manhattan.
Rabbi Korenblit was ordained at Meor Hatorah Rabbinical College and received advanced rabbinical training at Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Institute, Boston Kolel and Gur Aryeh Institute for Advanced Rabbinical Studies.
What has most distinguished the Rabbi's career is his commitment to children, which is matched only by his commitment to his faith. He is not only the Rabbi at Temple Sholom, but he is the principal of the Schwartz Religious School at the Temple. And he spent many years as not only a principal but as a school teacher, camp director and youth group director. He has also written and lectured extensively on educational issues, with a focus on child rearing matters. Untold numbers of young people in our community have grown up to lead healthy spiritual lives because of the influence of Rabbi Korenblit, and I can think of no greater contribution one can make to his community.
I am not only pleased to congratulate Rabbi Korenblit on the honor of being chosen to deliver this morning's prayer , but I wanted to congratulate his shul, Temple Sholom, on their 50th anniversary. For more than a generation, Temple Sholom has served the religious and social needs of the Mill Basin and Bergen Beach communities, and I wish them many more decades of continued vitality.
In closing, it is also my pleasure to welcome this day the Rabbi's wife, Daniela Reik, who is with us today, his three daughters, Haviva, Eliora, Emuna, and his mother–in–law, Mignon.
Thank you very much, Rabbi.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Rabbi Dr. Ari Korenblit, Temple Sholom, Brooklyn, New York, offered the following prayer :
God, bless America.
We thank You, God, for our country which has nurtured the hopes and dreams of people throughout the world.
For our country which is the most charitable Nation that has ever existed, sharing its bounty and talents with all.
For our country which has provided welcoming portals of refuge, sanctuary and opportunity, both material and spiritual.
For our country which has been enriched by the prayers and talents from the early pilgrims to our recent citizens.
In these troubled times, let us especially remember the early pilgrims who came to these shores with their faith, dreams and hope in God. This is the secret of our endurance, prosperity and success.
God, inspire the Members of this great Chamber and all our leaders with courage to champion our divine moral code and with the strength to uphold those freedoms we hold dear. Bless and protect our soldiers who defend those principles throughout the world. May we forever be one Nation under God and continue our sacred duty to be the conscience of the world.
Please, God, fill our hearts with thanksgiving every moment.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory