Kalman Packouz is an Orthodox

Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...

 rabbi

Rabbi

In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...

 (born in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

) who has pioneered various Jewish educational initiatives geared towards baal teshuva

Baal teshuva

Baal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...

 ("returnee to Judaism

Judaism

Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...

") outreach.

Biography

Packouz was raised in Portland, Oregon and attended Temple Beth Israel, a reform temple. In 1979, after receiving rabbinical ordination in Jerusalem, Packouz started the first Aish HaTorah

Aish HaTorah

Aish HaTorah is a Jewish Orthodox organization and yeshiva. Aish HaTorah is actively pro-Israel and encourages Jewish people to visit Israel and connect to the land and its history. Some consider the organisation to reflect a more Religious Zionist philosophy in its attachment to Israel, promoting...

 branch in St. Louis. Packouz served for 10 years as executive director of Aish HaTorah international operations, and is currently head of the Miami office of Aish HaTorah's worldwide programs. He is a contributor to simpletoremember.com. He is also a Special Correspondent for The Sun Sentinel. He is married and the father of nine children.

Intermarriage Book

Packouz speaks out on Jewish continuity through marriage, and in 1976 authored the book, "How to Stop an Intermarriage." The book was recently expanded and retitled as: "How to Prevent an Intermarriage - A Guide For Parents to Prevent Broken Hearts."

Jewish Computer Dating Service

In 1980, he founded the Jewish Computer Dating Service which earned him an appearance on The Today Show

Shabbat Shalom Weekly

In 1992, Packouz launched the Shabbat Shalom Weekly an electronic publication with copies distributed each week via fax and email.

Kotel Webcam

In 1997, Packouz created Window on the Wall, a 24-hour live webcam from the Western Wall

Western Wall

The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...

 in Jerusalem. You can see live pictures of the wall as well as place a note to be put in the wall. The site has since logged 20 million visits and been featured on CNN

CNN

Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

 and The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

.

External links

• Shabbat Shalom Weekly
• Window on the Western Wall, Israel
• How to Stop an Intermarriage Website