Rabbi Berel Wein, Renowned Historian and Educator, Dies at 91

Rabbi Berel Wein, one of the most influential voices in modern Jewish history education and a guiding figure in Orthodox life in both the United States and Israel, passed away in Jerusalem on Saturday at the age of 91.

Wein’s funeral took place this Sunday morning at Beit Knesset Hanassi, where he served as rabbi for more than two decades, before burial on the Mount of Olives.

The Rabbi was born in Chicago in 1933 to a rabbinic family of Lithuanian descent, and combined religious scholarship with secular study. He earned rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Theological College, a bachelor’s degree from Roosevelt College, a law degree from DePaul University, and later a doctorate from his alma mater in Chicago.

Rabbi Wein’s career spanned rabbinic leadership, education, and historical writing. After years of legal practice, he became rabbi of Congregation Bais Torah in Monsey, New York, where he led for nearly a quarter-century. In 1977 he founded Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, serving as dean until 1997, when he and his wife moved to Jerusalem. Five years later, he assumed the pulpit of Beit Knesset Hanassi, becoming a central figure in the city’s English-speaking Orthodox community.

Alongside his rabbinic work, Rabbi Berel Wein built a global reputation as a historian and storyteller. His books, including Patterns in Jewish History, along with hundreds of lectures and essays, made Jewish history accessible to broad audiences. He also wrote a long-running column for Arutz Sheva and hosted the PBS television program Ask the Rabbi.

Throughout his career, Wein was recognized for excellence in Jewish education, receiving the Covenant Foundation’s “Educator of the Year” award in 1993 and the Torah Prize Award from the Rabbi Frank Institute in Jerusalem.

Wein leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, community leadership, and an enduring commitment to making Jewish history resonate with new generations.