Simcha Weinstein

Simon Weinstein (born 1975), known by his Hebrew name Simcha Weinstein (Hebrew: שמחה וינשטיין‎), is an English author and a rabbi. In 2006, his first book Up Up and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero was published. In 2008, his second book Shtick Shift: Jewish Humor in the 21st Century was published.

Early life

Simon Weinstein [Hebrew name "Simcha"] was born in Manchester, England, son of Eddie and Valerie Weinstein. He attended Manchester Metropolitan University, where he earned a B.A. in film history. After graduation, he joined the British film commission and worked as a location scout for films like The Full Monty and Spice World.

In England, Weinstein joined two Orthodox organisations, Aish Hatorah and Manchester Lubavitch, before moving to Jerusalem to study at Mayanot Yeshiva.

Career

Weinstein ministers to Jewish students at Pratt Institute (where he serves as Chair of its Religious Affairs Committee), Brooklyn Law School, Long Island University, and Polytechnic Institute of New York University. In 2003 he founded the semiannual Brooklyn Heights Jewish Film Festival. He is also the founder of the Downtown Brooklyn Jewish Student Foundation and is the Chabad emissary to the Downtown Brooklyn student community and the Clinton Hill community.