But it's just what I'd expect of Yisrael Neuberger, who has spent his entire lifetime facing unknown challenges, pursuing the ultimate truth, and growing in his devotion to Torah and his search for life's real meaning.
Exactly three years ago, VOICES had the privilege of interviewing author Yisrael Neuberger, upon the completion of his autobiography, From Central Park to Sinai: How I Found My Jewish Soul. Now in its third printing, From Central Park has since been translated into Russian and recorded for CD and audio cassette.
Privileged Poverty
From Central Park to Sinai chronicled Yisrael's 30 year quest for meaning in his life. Born into total assimilation, Roy S. Neuberger is the son of Wall Street legend Roy R. Neuberger. Little Roy knew from childhood that something was missing in his life. A tortured soul, he spent six years in therapy with a renowned child psychiatrist, and then another 16 years in pursuit of inner peace.
Looking for meaning in everything from folk music and wilderness hiking to protesting the Vietnam War to Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and nature, Roy eliminated every possible "ism" that he could think of, until there was "nothing left but G-d, the Torah and a return to the ancient Jewish way of life of our fathers."
Finally, at the age of 31, Roy and his wife, Linda, heard words of Torah for the first time. Their teacher then, as now, was Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, founder of the Hineni international teshuva organization.
The Rebbetzin introduced the Neubergers to the beauty of Judaism, and encouraged them to enrich, not only their lives with mitzvoth, but the lives of others. Roy became Yisrael, after his famed ancestor Yisrael Salanter. Linda became Leah. Since then, hundreds of religious and not yet religious Jews have experienced the special beauty of Shabbat in the home of the Neubergers, and many have been changed forever by the experience.
Now after 30 years as a Jew immersed in learning and teaching Torah, one would think that Yisrael's adventure is over, but then again, understanding Yisrael, the adventure just goes on to new and more exciting directions.
Just as the hero in From Central Park, Yisrael's life story, at last discovers the key to unlock his connection to the Jewish people, so too the hero of WORLDSTORM finds the key once again to Jewish history - this time the keys are the fundamental truths that will save the Jewish people for all eternity.
Although I have known Yisrael for 30 years, until I interviewed him three years ago in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, I had no idea of the depths of the turmoil that he had experienced in the quest for his identity. (See www.voices-magazine.com/Classic VOICES.htm)
This time, on a hilltop overlooking Ramallah, in the growing community of Bet El, he spoke out his latest quest.
"We're living in a frightening world," Yisrael commented. "Frightening, for everyone, but especially for the Jewish people. We've got war and pollution and terrorism, unemployment, sickness, crime. I wanted to understand these troubles myself, and then address these issues we're all facing today."
This examination of today's world, or more correctly, the Worldstorm that engulfs us resulted in Yisrael's newest book, WORLDSTORM: Finding Meaning and Direction Amidst Today's World Crisis.
Yisrael sent me WORLDSTORM over the internet before it was published (it's an amazing world sometimes, eh). I printed it out and began reading, but I was totally unprepared for the kind of book it is. I began again at the beginning, this time with two highlighters - a yellow one to underline important messages, and an orange one to underscore universal truths that suddenly seemed so clear, but which have been lost with the passage of time.
For example, at the dawn of the world, G-d created man, gave him freedom of will, but also established rules for mankind. "The One Who made him also made the rules." But from that moment on, we were in trouble, because for a moment Adam and Eve had a doubt, "Why should G-d make up all the rules?" Yisrael wrote, "From that little thought came all sickness, death, mental and physical pain, tragedy, violence, perversion and war. Closeness to G-d is spiritual and physical health and serenity; separation from G-d is chaos, the greater the distance the greater the chaos."
The Source of Our Woes
WORLDSTORM continues by citing the roots of competition, jealousy, rebellion, idol worship, violence, materialism and the evils that have plagued us from man's first day throughout the history of our ancestors until today.
To locate the source of our nation's troubles, Yisrael said, "We have to go back to the beginning of time to see why we are in Exile, and that will take us back to the ancient days of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob where we met those who have been our antagonists to this very day - Ishmael who now confronts us in the form of his children the Arab nation, Esau who now confronts us in the form of the Western World (the religion of Rome). Both these two worlds are now opposing us. We cannot attempt to understand what's going on in this world until we go back to Ishmael and Esau. How do we solve the conflict, because it's the same conflict today."
And so, WORLDSTORM follows the Jewish people from generation to generation, from our Patriarchs to Joseph to Moses to David to the end of prophecy, the destruction of our Holy Temple and our exile, up until today. He writes, "This is the world after the Presence of G-d has de-parted. This is the world of bitterness and competition."
If we want to find a solution to the troubles that engulf us, Yisrael said, "It will be by rectifying the ancient antagonisms that have plagued us over the centuries - the antagonisms among ourselves - and once we recognize them and look into our hearts and resolve them, then we'll see that our other problems will soon be resolved."
Back to the Beginning
And then in a daring fashion, WORLDSTORM turns from scholarly investigation of "where did we go wrong" with flashbacks and flash forwards, into an "Indiana Jones"-like adventure into how we can set it all right and return to the Garden of Eden. I held my breath, I had the shivers, and then I dreamed it could really come true just as Yisrael Neuberger wrote.
Aside from the amount of research and detail that is invested in WORLDSTORM, its most unique characteristic is its 613 footnotes. These quote the Biblical or religious sources for all of Yisrael's writings. But they also give credit to teachers, authors, scholars and friends who gave him insight into any of the points he discussed. If quoting the source of a statement will hasten Mashiach, this book is helping him gallop home.
Yisrael wrote, "Today we are ready for answers to big questions; we are ready to reassess our lives in order to make this world safe for us and our children."
"We are living amidst a world storm, but we are the nation to whom the Prophet Isaiah said, 'O afflicted, storm-tossed, un- consoled ones, behold. I shall lay your floor stones upon pearls and make your foundation of sapphires.. All your children will be students of G-d and abundant will be your children's peace.'"
To order WORLDSTORM: Finding Meaning and Direction Amidst Today's World Crisis, by Roy S. Neuberger, published by Israel Book Shop, visit www. tosinai.com. "WORLDSTORM" is also on sale in bookstores throughout Israel.
Yisrael Neuberger will be speaking in Israel this month
