Ilan D. Feldman#Miriam Feldman

Feldman was born in Atlanta to Emanuel Feldman, who arrived in that city with his wife, Estelle, in 1952 to become rabbi of Congregation Beth Jacob.{{cite web|url=http://www.wherewhatwhen.com/read_articles.asp?id=632 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210192030/http://www.wherewhatwhen.com/read_articles.asp?id=632 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-10 |title=A Conversation with Rabbi Emanuel Feldman |last=Oberstein |first=Rabbi Elchonon |date=October 2009 |work=Where What When |accessdate=19 December 2010 }} At that time the synagogue membership was 40 families.{{cite web |url=http://michaelgros.com/other-articles/a-shul-and-a-mission/ |last=Gros |first=Michael |title=A Shul and a Mission |work=Mishpacha Magazine |date=27 January 2010 |accessdate=19 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714083051/http://michaelgros.com/other-articles/a-shul-and-a-mission/ |archive-date=14 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} Over the next four decades, the couple helped build a Hebrew academy and Jewish day school, and established a nationally recognized kosher certification organization.{{cite web |url=http://www.kosheratlanta.org/About.htm |title=Atlanta Kashruth Commission |publisher=Atlanta Kashruth Commission |year=2010 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716225501/http://www.kosheratlanta.org/About.htm |url-status=dead }}

The young Ilan was more interested in politics than the rabbinate.{{cite web |url=http://www.temima.org/link/thelink.php?issue=20070326 |title=A Rabbi Confesses: The Rabbinical Report |author=Rivka G. |date=26 March 2007 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |work=The Link |publisher=Temima High School }}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Like his father, he studied at Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore, Maryland and was a student of rosh yeshiva (dean) Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg. In 1976 Feldman married the rosh yeshiva's daughter, Miriam.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VmtmAAAAMAAJ&q=ilan+feldman+rabbi |title=The Unbroken Chain: Biographical sketches and the genealogy of illustrious Jewish families from the 15th-20th century, Volume II|last=Rosenstein |first=Neil |year=1990 |publisher=CIS Publishers |isbn= 0-9610578-4-X}} The couple has eight children.{{cite web |url=http://usuarios.multimania.es/santo29/The%2050%20Most%20Influential%20Jews%20in%20America.pdf |title=The Jewsweek Fifty: The 50 Most Influential Jews in America |work=Jewsweek |date=22 July 2002 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325031013/http://usuarios.multimania.es/santo29/The%2050%20Most%20Influential%20Jews%20in%20America.pdf |archivedate=25 March 2012 }}

In 1980 Feldman decided to join his father as assistant rabbi of Congregation Beth Jacob.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=weL9M46TcU8C&q=ilan+feldman+rabbi&pg=PA111 |title= The American synagogue: a historical dictionary and sourcebook|pages=111–112 |last=Olitzky |first=Kerry M. |year=1996 |isbn=0-313-28856-9 |publisher=Greenwood Press|accessdate=20 December 2010}} In addition to his synagogue duties, he assisted his father in the development of the Torah Day School of Atlanta, which opened in 1985.

On his own initiative, the younger Feldman founded the Atlanta Summer Kollel (later renamed the Atlanta Scholars Kollel) in 1987.{{cite web|url=http://hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=599|title=Atlanta: A burgeoning Southern metropolis|last=Klein|first=Devorah|work=Hamodia|accessdate=20 December 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218064323/http://hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=599|archivedate=18 December 2010}} Feldman secured funding for the project from Torah Umesorah, and brought in three graduates of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel as the first rabbis. Unlike the prevailing community kollel concept which viewed the kollel as an "inreach" organization serving its own, already-committed members, ASK is an outreach program that brings Jewish knowledge and commitment directly to the doorsteps of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jews in Atlanta. ASK rabbis spend only 3 to 4 hours per day on their personal Torah learning and devote the rest of their day to "lunch 'n learn" classes, Hebrew reading crash courses, beginners minyans, campus outreach, and study groups for women, teens and singles. ASK has become a model for other community kollels in the United States.{{cite web |url= http://www.biu.ac.il/JS/rappaport/Research/PDF/Hoveret%2013_01-64.pdf |title= The Emergence of the Community Kollel: A new model for addressing assimilation |last=Ferziger |first=Adam S. |year=2006 |publisher= The Rappaport Center for Assimilation Research and Strengthening Jewish Vitality, Bar Ilan University |accessdate=20 December 2010}} The kollel now has 11 full-time rabbis and 3 part-time women teachers who educate more than 1,000 men, women, students, teens and singles monthly.{{cite web |url= http://jewishgeorgian.com/JGAMayJune08.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110713104228/http://jewishgeorgian.com/JGAMayJune08.pdf |url-status= usurped |archive-date= July 13, 2011 |title=Atlanta Scholars Kollel Has Inspired Atlantans For 20 years |work=Jewish Georgian |date=May–June 2008 |accessdate=20 December 2010}}{{cite web |url= http://www.atlantakollel.org/ |title=Atlanta Scholars Kollel |year=2009 |accessdate=20 December 2010|publisher= Atlanta Scholars Kollel}}

Upon his father's retirement in 1991, Rabbi Ilan Feldman was elected senior rabbi by the synagogue's board of directors.

Congregation Beth Jacob now exceeds 500 families.

Feldman is the dean of the Atlanta Kashruth Commission, which his father founded in the 1960s. It certifies nearly 150 companies, manufacturing plants, bakeries, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and caterers nationwide.{{cite web |url=http://www.aabjd.org/files/sOME%20RELIABLE%20KOSHER%20CERTIFICATIONS.pdf |title=Recommended Kosher Certifications |last=Zwickler |first=Eliezer |publisher=Congregation Ahawas Achim B'nai Jacob and David |year=2010 |accessdate=20 December 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Feldman is also the head of a rabbinical court recognized by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel as a reliable authority on Conversion to Judaism.{{cite web |url=http://eng.itim.org.il/?CategoryID=208&ArticleID=208 |title=Recognized Rabbinical Courts for Conversion |accessdate=20 December 2010 |publisher=The Jewish Life Information Center |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721145306/http://eng.itim.org.il/?CategoryID=208&ArticleID=208 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

Feldman frequently speaks out on key issues. These include: Jewish conversion,{{cite web |url= http://joi.org/bloglinks/Judaism%20drawing%20more%20black%20Americans.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080828155831/http://joi.org/bloglinks/Judaism%20drawing%20more%20black%20Americans.htm |url-status= usurped |archive-date= August 28, 2008 |title= Judaism drawing more black Americans: Blacks make up a significant portion of people learning about Judaism in Atlanta |last=Pomerance |first=Rachel |date=18 June 2008 |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |accessdate=20 December 2010}} Christian missionizing of Jews,{{cite web |url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcon2.htm |title=Attempts to Convert Jews: Reaction to the 1996 SBC Resolution |year=2009 |publisher=Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance |accessdate=20 December 2010 |archive-date=20 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720031738/http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcon2.htm |url-status=dead }} Sabbath desecration,{{cite web |url= http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2009/06/02/snatching-shabbos-victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat/ |title= Snatching Shabbos Victory From the Jaws of Defeat |last=Feldman |first=Rabbi Ilan |date=2 June 2009 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |publisher=cross-currents.com}}{{cite web |url=http://joi.org/bloglinks/COVER%20Community%20Outreach%20or%20Slippery%20Slope.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710165106/http://joi.org/bloglinks/COVER%20Community%20Outreach%20or%20Slippery%20Slope.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |title= Community Outreach or Slippery Slope? JCC Shabbat Opening Stirs Controversy |last=Brozman |first=Suzie |date=25 July 2008 |work=JT Online |accessdate=20 December 2010}} and Jewish burial.{{cite web|url=http://atlantasupperwestside.com/Site/JewishTimes.html |title=Recovering Our Past: Search for relative reveals ramshackle and forgotten Jewish cemetery |last=Abrams|first=Vivi |work=Jewish Times |accessdate=20 December 2010}}

Feldman has served as a spiritual advisor for the Atlanta branch of the Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons and Significant Others (JACS) support network.{{cite web |url=http://www.jpost.com/home/article.aspx?id=188564|title=Jews Do Drink |last=Robinson |first=Ronda |date=19 September 2010 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |work=The Jerusalem Post}} He also answers questions in the "Adviceline" column in Mishpacha Magazine.{{cite web|url=http://mishpacha.com/Browse/Article/564/Adviceline|title=Adviceline|date=15 December 2010|accessdate=20 December 2010|work=Mishpacha Magazine|archive-date=22 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222043101/http://www.mishpacha.com/Browse/Article/564/Adviceline|url-status=dead}}

Feldman and his wife Miriam, have been "scholars in residence" on a cruise ship.{{cite web |url=http://chosenvoyage.com/PDF/Chosen%20Voyage%20Best%20of%20the%20Bay.pdf |title=The Essence of Northern California Aboard the 138-Passenger Yorktown Clipper, Oct. 30-Nov. 6, 2006 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |publisher=chosenvoyage.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708145812/http://chosenvoyage.com/PDF/Chosen%20Voyage%20Best%20of%20the%20Bay.pdf |archive-date=8 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

She is principal of the Temima High School for Girls, a Bais Yaakov-type school,{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishatlanta.org/IR/community-directory.aspx?id=468&category=1148 |title=Temima, The Richard and Jean Katz High School for Girls |publisher=Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta |year=2010 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726203008/http://www.jewishatlanta.org/IR/community-directory.aspx?id=468&category=1148 |archivedate=26 July 2011 }} for which she was named one of the "50 Most Influential Jews in America" by Jewsweek, placing 13th on the magazine's list.

For Feldman's tenth anniversary in office, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Resolution 131EX2 commending Ilan and Miriam Feldman for their contributions to their synagogue and the community at large.{{cite web |url=http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2001_ss/fulltext/hr131ex2.htm |title=A Resolution |year=2001 |accessdate=20 December 2010 |publisher=Georgia General Assembly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323051326/http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2001_ss/fulltext/hr131ex2.htm |archive-date=23 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090906181300/http://www.ou.org/index.php/jewish_action/article/14587/ "Parking Lot Minyan" by Rabbi Ilan D. Feldman]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110720102441/http://www.ou.org/index.php/jewish_action/article/46572 "Super Choice" by Rabbi Ilan D. Feldman]

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Category:American Haredi rabbis

Category:American Orthodox rabbis

Category:Writers from Atlanta

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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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