Detail View: Winnipeg Jewish Renewal Oral History Collection: Interview with Jerry Steinberg, 09 December 2014

Collection Name: 
Winnipeg Jewish Renewal Oral History Collection
Title: 
Interview with Jerry Steinberg, 09 December 2014
Creator: 
Lewis, Justin Jaron, 1961-
Subject: 
Jewish renewal
Subject: 
Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman, 1924-2014
Description: 
Audio interview of Jerry Steinberg, born 1935, by Dr. Justin Jaron Lewis via the telephone from the interviewee's home in Ontario to the interviewer's office. 00:00 Interview begins with an introduction of the interviewer and interviewee, as well as location information; 00:49 Justin mentions an autobiography written by Jerry titled, “Rogue Rabbi: A Spiritual Quest – From Seminary to Ashram and Beyond” which is about Zalman; 01:25 Jerry starts talking about his recollections of Zalman at the University of Manitoba. Jerry also talks about Zalman’s role at Hillel; 04:35 Jerry talks about the many musical instruments Zalman was able to play. He continues to talk about a seder he attended where two priests were sitting at the table and his students saw the priests and shouted, “when do we slaughter them!”; 07:30 Jerry talks about the retreats Zalman started at Hillel. Fifteen or twenty students would attend these retreats over the weekend. He recollects a particular retreat at Winnipeg Beach where the students put together a prank against Zalman and they poured water on him from the roof; 15:30 Jerry talks about meeting Shlomo Carlebach and the start of the House of Love and Prayer; 22:00 Jerry talks about the pile of papers Zalman gave him and told him to read through. The readings taught him that he can study anything; 29:16 Jerry states that Zalman co-officiated his wedding and their friendship just grew from there. He continues to mention that Zalman’s life was in shambles in the 1960’s because of his divorce. Jerry gave him sanctuary in his home until he was able to get on his feet; 35:00 Jerry talks about Zalman’s room for experimentation and explains that Zalman sat in a witches cage to alter his thinking; 40:40 Jerry talks about the little bell that Zalman would hook to his rearview mirror in his car. Every time the bell rang it was a reminder to do some kind of a prayer; 43:30 Jerry talks about the programs he started once women began to join; 47:40 Justin asks Jerry to expand on the emotions that Zalman felt after his divorce from his first marriage. Jerry talks about the love Zalman had for his children and Zalman and his wife just grew apart. He continues to talk about the other relationships Zalman had; 01:09:50 Justin talks about the book Zalman wrote, “The First Step” and asks Jerry if he knew anyone that followed the steps in Zalman’s book. He didn’t know anyone that followed the steps in the book; 01:15:25 Jerry tells another story about a Jewish retreat at a Jewish farm in Winnipeg. The students either slept in the barn or the farmer’s house and joked about men and women sleeping in the hayloft; 01:22:19 Justin asks if he knew any other weddings Zalman officiated. He talks about a piper playing at a wedding. Jerry also talks about the instruments Zalman played such as a trumpet, piano, and organ; 01:36:00 Justin thanks Jerry and ends the interview.
Contributor: 
Steinberg, Jerry
Date: 
2014-11-24
Type: 
Sound
Identifier: 
WinnipegJerrySteinberg_09Dec2014.mp3
Identifier ARK: 
https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/7w3r2m1017d4
Source: 
Rabbi Zalman Schachter's Years in Winnipeg
Language: 
English
Coverage: 
Ontario
Rights: 
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