Rabbi Andrew Hahn (Reb Drew) combines a variety of tools to introduce Jewish Wisdom to an increasingly global, religious village.
He holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Thought from the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) and received rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Reform). He has also studied at the feet of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of the Jewish Renewal Movement. Dubbed “a Shlomo Carlebach for the twenty-first century,” he weaves traditional Jewish liturgy and musical modes into the increasingly popular call-and-response chant technology from India, known as Kirtan.
A more quiet side of his personality, Rabbi Hahn has also been teaching martial arts for more than thirty years. Packaging these skills together, Rabbi Hahn travels extensively bringing Hebrew Kirtan, Jewish meditation and Torah learning to Jewish institutions and yoga studios around the world.
His main vocation is to make Torah accessible, deep and fun, – to Jew and non-Jew alike – in a way that is participatory and memorable. David Leipziger Teva, Rabbi and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life at Wesleyan University, recently wrote to Rabbi Hahn, saying, “You have enlightened our community in countless ways. I am envisioning your coming back every eighteen months or so. We should not let students graduate without being exposed to your Torah.”
Kirtan Rabbi’s music is characterized by great energy, passion and melodic flow. His two available CDs, “Kirtan Rabbi: Live!” and “Achat Sha’alti: One Thing I Seek” have a growing, devoted following. He has since released two cross-over singles, Havayah and Zikr, which will soon be included on his upcoming CD, Kirtan Rabbi: Non-Dual. Also expect the release of another CD, Hallel, in 2013.
For Reb Drew’s Martial Arts Biography, click here.