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- Just because the below authorities wearing Techeiles are listed doesn’t mean we have contact info on all of them. This is for informational purposes only.
- Hebrew Name: העשיל וויינער
- String Ratio: Raavad Ratio
- Tying Method: 7-8-11-13 with 7 Chulyos - Rabbi Heschel Weiner's Method
- How We Know: Picture(s)
Type of wearer: Kiruv Rabbi, Mashpia, Rabbi
Affiliation: Centrist Orthodox, Dati Leumi, Modern Orthodox
From http://deepchicago.org/staff.html:
Rabbi Heschel Weiner holds a Masters in Education (Educational Psychology) from Loyola University and Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Theological College. He has been involved in education for our community for almost forty years, teaching at Hillel Torah Day School, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Fasman Yeshiva High School, Hebrew Theological College and the Blitstein Institute. He current directs the Walder Science Center, and lives with his wife, Sarelle in Israel, commuting to Chicago frequently to be fully involved with both the Chicago and Israel based Walder Science Center.
About Wearer
Early Life and Education
Rabbi Heschel Weiner earned a Master’s in Education (Educational Psychology) from Loyola University, then received semicha from the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, IL, laying a dual foundation in both pedagogy and traditional Jewish learning.
Torah‑With‑Science Leadership in Chicago
As Director of the Martin & Gertrude Walder Torah‑With‑Science Learning Center in Chicago, he bridged secular studies and Torah values, guiding programs that invited youth to explore neuroscience and bioethics alongside classic mussar texts. Under his stewardship, the annual Jerusalem Science Contest was born, challenging students to investigate topics like hippocampal atrophy and GMO ethics within a halachic framework.
Innovation in Jewish Education
He launched the Jack E. Gindi Oraita clubs for at‑risk teens in Canada, and earlier, grew NCSY Vancouver from thirty to over five hundred participants by blending fiery lomdus with relatable mentorship—proof of his knack for making Torah study accessible and compelling.
Halachic Advocacy and Organ Donation
A longtime board member of the Halachic Organ Donor Society, Rabbi Weiner has spoken widely on the permissibility and mitzvah of organ donation, combining rigorous halachic sourcing with heartfelt appeals to the value of pikuach nefesh.
Championing Techeiles Research
His variant of the 7‑8‑11‑13 techeiles‑tying method, known as the “Riva variation,” reflects his commitment to restoring ancient mitzvot with both precision and openness, moving from Chicago to Ma’ale Adumim to further this work in Israel.
Teaching Philosophy and Impact
Students describe his shiurim as part‑deep‑Gemara, part-science lab—complete with spontaneous chavruta exchanges and off‑the‑cuff Yiddish zingers—designed to wake the mind and warm the heart.
Ongoing Vision
Now splitting time between Beit Shemesh and Ma’ale Adumim, Rabbi Weiner is expanding the Walder Science Center’s outreach, planning new seminars on halachic medical ethics, and mentoring the next generation of rabbinic‑scientific innovators who will carry his legacy forward.
