Eli’s Storytelling
“God made man because God loves stories. ”
Eli is an avid storyteller and speaker, and has done so across Canada, United States, Europe, Africa and Israel (Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, “Poland in the Rockies” in Alberta, Oxford University in England) speaking to diverse groups and audiences, and for various charitable causes. He was part of the team that put on, ""Because God Loves Stories," an annual storytelling event in memory of his mentor, Alec Gelcer. The concert was part of The Annual Toronto Festival of Storytelling. He has also been the keynote speaker for Holocaust Education Week in Toronto numerous times.
Eli credits the influence of Alec Gelcer, his mentor, for bringing stories into his sermons. He noticed that sermons on theology sometimes had his congregation squirming in their seats. “But as soon as I launched into a story, people were sitting on the edge of their seats,” Rubenstein said. Stories have a deeper, underlying value, according to Eli, “They’re for morals, values and lessons. And so while the stories themselves are enchanting and interesting, they always have a deeper underlying value.” Read CJN’s “An Evening of Storytelling” article below:
“When you hear a story, you become part of it. You put yourself in the person’s shoes in the story and develop the most important human quality: empathy. Empathy is the key to making the world a better place.”
March 30, 2011 - “Stories To Heal A Broken World”
The University of Toronto’s Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies.
The event featured ancient and modern stories from Jewish sources, reflecting Jewish values that contain messages of universal peace, love, and hope. Many of the modern stories revolve around the courage of the Jewish victims of Nazi tyranny and the Righteous Among The Nations who tried to rescue them.
During evening, there were musical selections performed by Toronto singer and Habonim Cantor, Aviva Rajsky, reflecting the same values of peace, love, and hope in each story.
Eli Rubenstein has been exposed to “exceptionally moving and touching moments of reconciliation and healing” through his work with the March of the Living. “These are stories of heroism and courage and righteousness and bravery that existed in the Jews who resisted the Nazis and the Jews who saved each others’ lives.”
Stories To Heal
A Broken World
This collection of stories, told by Eli, was recorded on March 30, 2011. Hover over the list and scroll down to listen to a selected track. Click on the selection to play. Alternatively, you can click the picture and load the entire playlist in your browser.
Eli’s Passover Stories
A selection of Passover stories, Holocaust Passover stories and Humorous Passover Stories are now available in the following sections below.
Stories are unique to each person’s background and culture. History can be preserved through the stories we pass down to the next generation. This PDF contains some special stories that Eli documented so they can be passed to you.
Passover Stories
Eli has been telling stories through sermons, written word, and, if you know him personally, in every day conversation. The following is one collection of Eli’s Passover stories.
Holocaust Passover Stories
“So much of the Holocaust [narrative] is tied up with understanding the barbarian cruelty – That is real, and we have to understand that… but there isn’t a single survivor today who isn’t alive because of the heroism of either his fellow Jews or… people who are righteous among the nations who risked their lives to save them.” - Eli RUbenstein [CJN]
Humorous Passover Stories
“He {Eli] is a great collector of stories and a storyteller himself. He is such a great communicator.” —Ato Quayson, director, University of Toronto’s Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies.
Hannah Senesh - Blessed is the Match
Without Words
Introduction to the film with stories from
Eli Rubenstein.
Because God Loves Storytelling
This is a collection of entertaining timeless stories captured on camera.
Three Stories of the Righteous By Eli Rubenstein
March of the Living 30th Anniversary Gala
“We, the Jewish people stand exactly to the opposite of what the Nazis stood for: They stood for blind hatred, we stand for blind love.” -Eli Rubenstein, keynote speaker.
Eli Rubenstein, speaking at Shaarei Shomayim Holocaust Survivors Luncheon [2011]
From Eli’s remarks in this video…” I remember a Holocaust survivor walking into Auschwitz with a number of you people…one of the young people said, “we’re entering Auschwitz.” The Holocaust survivor said, “You will never enter Auschwitz, and I will never leave….”
Eli Rubenstein Story About His Dad Asking for Forgiveness
Recorded on The Avrum Rosensweig Show