Rabbi Hammer's Lectures

Leaders of communities are always seeking ways to inspire their congregations and deepen their ties to the land of Israel and its people. Rabbi Shalom Hammer has a unique perspective to share with your community. He has an astute understanding of the many challenges facing Jewish communities in Israel and the Diaspora. Shalom Hammer has a clear perspective of the factors that unite and unfortunately sometimes divide the Jewish people in Israel and abroad.

"Rabbi Shalom Hammer is a gifted, inspiring and versatile educator who provided my congregation with the most uplifting and meaningful experience of the High Holy Days it has ever had. From insights into the themes of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to thought-provoking reflections on Religious Zionism, Rabbi Hammer enthralled my community in Leeds, England throughout the Yamim Noraim period with his wisdom, passion and humour. I thank him for giving of his many talents to my congregation and encourage communities around the world to take advantage of having him as a scholar-in-residence."

Rabbi Jason Kleiman, Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue, Leeds, UK

Radical Islam - Today's Clear and Present Danger

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Radical Islam is quickly spreading to all corners of the globe and represents an impending threat to Israel, the West and democracy. What is Radical Islam's fundamental belief and how does it pose imminent danger? What is the Torah's approach to this form of extremism and what should be Israel's response?

Optional screening of the award winning movie "Obsession" (77min)
Winner of Best Feature Film Liberty Film Festival
Special Jury Award World Fest International Film Festival

Israel's Future – The Challenge of Survival A Vision of Hope
Based on personal accounts and anecdotes this lecture includes an analysis of the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead from a Religious perspective. Amongst all of the turmoil and uncertainty the vision and passion required to help ensure the future of Israel.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This lecture moves and inspires, encouraging involvement with and commitment to the Jewish Homeland.

What are We Fighting For? Instilling Ideology in the IDF Today

Rabbi Hammer delivers crucial lectures to various divisions in the IDF promoting ideology and unification. This presentation is based on many of the inspiring ideas which Rabbi Hammer imparts to motivate combat troops. The lecture is anecdotal and includes analysis from the Torah on how assessing the needs of the collective and promoting communal values secures the future of the land of Israel.

Lecture presentation with source material. This lecture inspires meshing in depth analysis of Torah text on a purposeful community and personal reflections regarding the IDF.

Armed and Sacred

Rabbi Hammer presents the words of encouragement and motivation which he offered to the Golani Brigade a few days before Rosh Hashana. He describes the unique Shabbat he spent with field intelligence soldiers during their basic training in the IDF. Connecting insights from the Torah related to the task at hand, Rabbi Hammer inspirationally reveals the role of the Hesder students in the IDF and the tremendous Kiddush Hashem the soldiers have while in service.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This moving lecture reveals the role of the religiously observant soldier in the IDF and the positive impact they are having on Israel and the Jewish world at large.

The Enemy Within: The Challenges of Preserving Ideology

The pioneer spirit and the Jewish link to history is deteriorating in Israel and becoming challenging to instill and infuse both in the youth and particularly in the IDF. Based on an address given to hundreds of soldiers over Chanukah, Rabbi Hammer describes the importance of identifying the "enemy within" and how to preserve the link to the past for the sake of preserving a future.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This lecture demonstrates the challenges of instilling ideology in the IDF today and insightfully reveals the characteristics of true Jewish strength.

Jerusalem - Exclusive, Undivided and Not for Sale
Jerusalem cannot and never will be divided. Subscribing to G-d’s plan means beleiving that He maintains an inseparable relationship with the Holy City; Jerusalem City of Gold.

Lecture contains source material. This lecture reveals the deep spiritual characteristics of Jerusalem and why its prominence and its value can never be compromised.

Redefining Religious Zionism
The Dati Leumi (Mizrachi) world has been forced to reassess its ideology and to reconstruct its rationale. What is and should be the major agenda for Religious Zionism today? What was brought to the forefront of Religious Zionism twenty years ago is not the same today. Why is confronting these challenges essential for the Religious Zionist platform to remain "relevant"?

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This lecture is informative and insightful as it defines the objectives of a Religious Zionist philosophy, its failures and successes post Gush Katif, and an analysis of the directional change necessary in order for it to stay relevant.

Trial and Tribulation: Keeping the Faith
The Jewish community has historically faced many challenges and today is no different. From Kassam Rocket attacks in the Negev, Israel to a Global Economic Recession; Jewish faith will continue to nurture our resilience as it has done in the past.

Lecture contatins source material. This lecture encourages us to value the messages sent to the Jewish people, often by way of obstruction and challenges, leading to introspect, resilience and inspiration.

Judaism and the Internet Generation
There is no leap of faith in Judaism nor is there immediate gratification in spirituality. This is most challenging for our generation to accept. A wholesome Jew appreciates that spiritual progress is a gradual process.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This lecture is extremely relevant and reflective as it reveals how to actualize the expectations of Judaism and how the mores and standards of the “me generation” can obstruct us from obtaining them.

Remembrance: The History of Jewish Survival
"If the past has been an obstacle and a burden, knowledge of the past is the surest and safest emancipation". Why the Jewish people must relive the past to set a precedent for the future.

Lecture contains source material. This stimulating lecture dissects the concept of “Zachor-Remember”; how it reveals itself in theory and in practice and why it is so critical.

The Grass Roots of Jewish Identity
Our forefathers embraced Jewish identity and Jewish pride. The obligation of Jewish institutions to incorporate these ideals into a Torah curriculum to perpetuate the future.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This lecture involves a dissection of the personalities and contributions of each of our forefathers and their emphasis on education and how that emphasis continues to be the key to preserving Jewish identity.

Productivity and Preservation

Historically the Torah demonstrates that Judaism is not a spectators sport and that wasting time can potentially threaten our existence. Explore and analyze how this exhibits itself today and how to avoid these trappings by being goal oriented and constructive for the sake of preserving the Jewish individual and the Jewish nation.

Lecture contains source material. Analysis of text combined with personal experiences and anecdotes, this lecture is thought provoking and insightful. .

Maintaining Balance: Jewish Opposition to Extremism
Judaism has always embraced the Golden Mean. In a world that consists of extremes it is crucial for us to adopt a well balanced perspective based on tolerance and understanding. This will ensure our own spiritual growth, the success of our leadership and the perpetuation of the Jewish nation.

Lecture presentation source sheet optional. Analysis of text combined with personal experiences and anecdotes, this lecture is thought provoking and insightful.

Irresponsibility - The Greatest Threat to Jewish Existence
Irresponsibility creeps in to the Jewish Community and poses the greatest threat to its future. Rabbi Hammer demonstrates how this problem has penetrated every pocket of the Jewish world and what we can do to avoid its destructive consequences.

Lecture contains source material. This lecture dissects the consequences of irresponsibility based on textual analysis together with personal anecdotes and reflections.

The Baal Teshuva Phenomenon
The Teshuva Movement is very prevalent in Jewish society today. Why does it enjoy such a widespread popularity? Where has the Teshuva movement succeeded and where has it failed? Answering these questions begins with a thorough analysis of what it means to be a Baal Teshuva.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This lecture is informative regarding the Baal Teshuva movement, and revealing in terms of how its phenomena relate to us.

Defining and Preserving Modern Orthodoxy
Many people misunderstand Modern Orthodoxy as an excuse for clemency or permissiveness. How and why Modern Orthodoxy demands more discipline and introspect to truly reap the benefits of what it has to offer.

Lecture contains extensive source material. This lecture offers in-depth analysis of the foundations upon which Modern Orthodoxy is based as well as the misunderstandings and misinterpretations regarding its ideals and premise.

חורבן הבית - A Review of Jewish Leadership
Jewish leaders must learn to focus on cause and community and disregard self-promotion. The inability to do so resulted in the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and can cause dire consequences to the Jewish future as well.

Lecture contains extensive source material. This inspirational lecture explores a problem which has haunted the Jewish people throughout history and offers guidance how these trappings can be avoided in order to facilitate reconstruction.

The Ascent to Jewish Leadership
In our generation it is difficult to find quality leadership and this is becoming more and more challenging in the Jewish world as well. What are the attributes we should look for in Jewish leadership? What is the role our Jewish leaders should assume and how can they affect the Jewish future?

Lecture contains source material. This lecture dissects the personality of Moshe and the attributes which reveal his rite to leadership and how these traits can be incorporated on an individual and collective basis.

The Current Role of a Jewish Educator - The למדן and the מחנך
The Jewish educator today assumes the role of teacher and is expected to become more of a parent as well. Why? What are the challenges that a teacher/parent experiences today in assuming and maintaining both these positions? What is the effect on the parental obligation?

Lecture contains source material. Most appropriate for parents\teachers to reflect upon their role today particularly considering the challenges children\students face in today’s secular world and open society.

The Purpose Principal: Achieving a Meaningful Existence
Appreciating G-d's intentions for creating man-kind helps us introduce more meaning into our daily lives and greater comprehension for our existence. The purpose of creation is clarified as we analyze texts from the Torah.

Lecture contains source material. Analysis of text combined with exploration of a most fundamental question, this lecture is encouraging and thoughtful.

Finding Inner Peace and Affecting the World Around Us

Discover from a Jewish perspective, how honoring our difficult emotions and maintaining a positive perspective can nurture personal tranquility and effect the perpetuation of the Jewish future.

Lecture presentation without source sheet. This moving lecture begins with a short film about the oldest Holocaust survivor and her incessant objection to hatred and how we must learn from her example to find inner peace in order to keep peace with the people around us.

Redemption: Personal or Communal Fulfillment?
Does our redemption begin through personal introspect and the development of our connection to Hashem as individuals, or by facilitating a collective effort to focus on societal challenges and implement changes? Based on an analysis of the contrasting views of Rav Soloveichik and Rav Kook.

Lecture contains extensive source material. The lecture reveals how two great Torah giants and philosophers viewed the challenges and proposed solutions for the perpetuation of the Jewish world.

Don't Worry Be Happy
How does one achieve happiness from a Jewish perspective? Does Simcha mean happiness? An analysis of Jewish Simcha and how it facilitates a profound relationship with Hashem.

Lecture contains extensive source material. This lecture is based on textual analysis of the Rambam’s\Maimonides’s understanding of what it means to be “in front of Hashem”.

The Perfect Equilibrium
Learn Torah or Perform a Mitzvah (Option or Dilemma) - a Halachic analysis of the Rambam's view on Torah and its Practical Applications.

ורפא ירפא Is Hashem our Physician?
How much is man expected to incorporate bitachon (faith) into his own personal life and crises? An analysis of the differing perspectives of the Rambam and Ramban.

Lecture contains extensive source material. This lecture is informative and reflective regarding Jewish faith and medical healing.

"I passionately and sincerely believe in the messages I am delivering. I am interested in helping people identify with what Religious Zionism means today, deepening people's awareness and commitment to Eretz Yisrael, and in encouraging people to appreciate the value of Jewish education as it relates to Israel and the Diaspora.