Rabbi Tessler Speaks to Ethics Class & Student Lunch

Rabbi Joel Tessler, WSSW class of '83, recently returned to Yeshiva University, first to speak to at an ethics class taught by Rabbi Norman Linzer, PhD, who is himself a renowned authority on social work ethics, and then to address the student body in a Lunch & Learn talk titled The Social Worker, the Rabbi, the Struggle.

"A rabbi is trained to answer questions posed to him. He is the final authority for the members of his community. A social worker is trained to listen to his/her client. He/she is a facilitator to enable the client to discover the path on which to travel. When people come to an orthodox rabbi, they expect him to have a definite opinions and preconceived conclusions regarding many issues based upon the Jewish law halacha). People come to social workers expecting them to have a open mind and tune into where the client is at. Despite the tensions, conflicts and values inherent in the demands of the different professions, the MSW is an invaluable set of skills which does enhance the counseling challenges and demands confronting today's rabbi and the clergy in general."

--Rabbi Tessler