Our Hashkafa

Kol Sasson is fortunate to receive halakhic and spiritual guidance from our Rabbinic adviser, Rabbi Dr. Marty Lockshin. Dr. Rabbi Marty Lockshin received his ordination from Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav Kook and his Ph.D. from Brandeis University. He teaches in Humanities and the Department of Languages, Literature and Linguistics at York University in Toronto. His primary area of scholarly expertise and writing is the history of Jewish biblical interpretation, particularly the interplay between tradition and innovation. Most of his research has been centered on those medieval biblical commentators who valued tradition intellectually, who lived traditional lives and who still innovated unabashedly in their understanding of the Bible. Outside of the academy, Marty is also interested in tradition and innovation. He writes widely in the popular Jewish press about the phenomenon of Jewish “modern Orthodoxy” in North America and Israel. Marty spends sabbaticals (and as much time as possible when not on sabbatical) doing research in Israel. He was one of the founders of the Toronto Partnership Minyan and he currently serves as its head rabbi.