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Prof. Juni is one of the foremost research psychologists in the world today. He has published ground-breaking original research in seventy different peer reviewed journals and is cited continuously with respect by colleagues and experts in the field who have built on his theories and observations.



He studied in Yeshivas Chaim Berlin under Rav Yitzchak Hutner, and in Yeshiva University as a Talmid of Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchik. Dr. Juni is a board member of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists and has regularly presented addresses to captivated audiences. Associated with NYU since 1979, Juni has served as Director of PhD programs, all the while heading teams engaged in cutting-edge research. Professor Juni's scholarship on aberrant behavior across the cultural, ethnic, and religious spectrum is founded on psychometric methodology and based on a psychodynamic psychopathology perspective. He is arguably the preeminent expert in Differential Diagnostics, with each of his myriad studies entailing parallel efforts in theory construction and empirical data collection from normative and clinical populations.



Professor Juni created and directed the NYU Graduate Program in Tel Aviv titled Cross-Cultural Group Dynamics in Stressful Environments. Based in Yerushalayim, he collaborates with Israeli academic and mental health specialists in the study of dissonant factors and tensions in the Arab-Israeli conflict and those within the Orthodox Jewish community, while exploring personality challenges of second-generation Holocaust survivors.



Below is a partial list of the professional journals where Professor Juni has published 120 theoretical articles and his research findings (many are available online):



 



 



Journal of Forensic Psychology; Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma; International Review of Victimology; The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease; International Forum of Psychoanalysis; Journal of Personality Assessment; Journal of Abnormal Psychology; Journal of Psychoanalytic Anthropology; Psychophysiology; Psychology and Human Development; Journal of Sex Research; Journal of Psychology and Judaism; Contemporary Family Therapy; American Journal on Addictions; Journal of Criminal Psychology; Mental Health, Religion, and Culture.



 



 



As Rosh Beis Medrash, Rabbi Avraham Kivelevitz serves as Rav and Posek for the morning minyan at IDT. Hundreds of listeners around the globe look forward to his weekly Shiurim in Tshuvos and Poskim and Gaonic Literature.



Rav Kivelevitz is a Maggid Shiur for Dirshu International in Talmud and Halacha as well as a Dayan with the Beth Din of America.

The Psychiatric Trauma Effects of War ; Coping Styles of Different Israeli Cohorts

Prof. Juni delineates the internal defensive coping approaches available to Israeli Jews.

Confronted by profound threat to their safety – especially as it may contrast with the safety of Jews in other countries – they basically have three options: 1) To convince themselves thatJews in other countries are not any safer, pointing to antisemitism, reported events threatening protests and/or theorizing about imminent catastrophes in the diaspora; 2) To convince themselves that they are actually safe, relying on various spins about the situation; 3) Resorting to identification with the greater Israeli Jewish population, nationalism, and Zionism,arguing that Jews are safest in our own country where we can defend ourselves – often coupled with religious conviction that G-d has our back.

Dr. Juni explains how prolonged tension and repeated trauma can lead to total personality breakdown. Painting the entire world black and dangerous can have debilitating consequences on the ego, well-being, and relationship capacity. In terms of theological effects,Juni adds that people under prolonged stress will start doubting their basic beliefs and commitments – a reaction which makes them feel guilty and disoriented. He points out,however, that such reactions are a very normal part of a positive adjustment which usually passes and often results in a commitment to values which is stronger that it was before the crisis.

Juni presents three distinct groups who show different anxiety reaction patterns to the current war and traumatic events: Native Israelis, Dual citizens, and 2 nd -generation Holocaust survivors. Native Israelis are not here by choice and have no escape options – and are forced to“face the music.” Dual citizens – especially those who chose to stay – are apt to start second-guessing their decisions and their resolve, and might feel guilty for endangering their loved ones for an ideal as they second-guess their beliefs and resolve. 

Second generation Holocaust Survivors may well become convinced that their “never Again” mantra was a sham as they identify with their parents and feel they are re-living the Holocaust they thought they had left behind in past history. More poignantly, these survivors may vilify themselves for betraying their children whom they raised in Israel with the implicit promise that they will be protected from a repetition of anything resembling the Holocaust. For each cluster, Juni outlines the phenomenology of their reactions, the logic and pseudo-logic they engage in, their attitudes,and the stances that help them cope, as well as the effects of their beliefs, their self-image, their fears, and their harrowing anticipations.

In terms of intervention, Juni stresses that the main first-line option for these anxiety reactions is psychotropic medication – specifically anxiolytics. What we are dealing with is a chemical/physiological reaction to trauma (anxiety). There is no feasibility of using psychological therapies for people who are in panic mode. Behavioral therapies and talk therapies are often helpful as well, but only after the acute reactions are first brought under control medically.

In conclusion, Rabbi Kivelevitz relates his recent experiences in Israel. Having met a number of terror victims’ families, he saw firsthand the amazing bravery of spirit and national identification among various sectors of the population which brought out the best in Israelis.



Prof. Juni is one of the foremost research psychologists in the world today. He has published ground-breaking original research in seventy different peer reviewed journals and is cited continuously with respect by colleagues and experts in the field who have built on his theories and observations.



He studied in Yeshivas Chaim Berlin under Rav Yitzchak Hutner, and in Yeshiva University as a Talmid of Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchik. Dr

This episode has serious Adult Content 

Episode 75: The Sexual Miseducation of Religious Adolescents

Spurred by Dr. Shloimie Zimmerman’s recent book titled

“From Boys to Men,” Rabbi Kivelevitz chairs this panel

discussion with Pro. Juni and Rabbi Shmuel Skaist who is a

noted educator, mentor, and psychotherapist specializing in

sexual addictions. Dr. Zimmerman’s underlying premise, which

the panelists fully endorse, is that adolescents will persist in

some sexual behaviors (especially masturbation) regardless of

any educational efforts. R. Kivelevitz applauds the book as a

valiant effort to deal with the “guilt spirals” which youngsters

experience around masturbation, especially as the book could

potentially result in a backlash from the organized religious

educational establishment. Prof. Juni notes that such reactions

have been commonplace toward researchers who broached

sexual taboos even in academia (e.g., the Kinsey Reports).



Juni’s main critique of the book highlights its narrowness of

focus. His specific points are: 1) Masturbation should not be

stressed to the exclusion of other challenges of adolescent

sexuality (e.g., pornography); 2) The book should not be

limited to boys while excluding girls; 3) The issue of

homosexuality cannot be ignored; 4) The book should not have

been addressed to parents / educators; rather it would best be

addressed to adolescents; 5) Since the intent is to minimize

tension and maladjustment of adolescents, the main focus

should be on sexual development issues rather than Halachic

challenges. Expanding on the latter point, Juni notes the

emotional difficulties around sexual development among

religious youth does NOT revolve around the violation of

religious percepts. Rather, they are driven by erroneous

assumptions by the young person that s/he is different from

his/her peers and that there is something wrong with her/him

– which is often verbalized as “I must be crazy.” These issues

are identical to those of irreligious youth. Thus, claims Juni, all

that is needed here is a very precise message which stresses

statistical normality rather than Halachic percepts. That

message – The behaviors you engage in related to sexual

curiosity -- including masturbation, sexual exploration with

others, and porn watching -- are behaviors which ALL of your

peers (including your religious peers) engage in very

frequently. That message would dispel the erroneous

assumptions which drive the guilt spiral and emotional

pathology among youngsters, even when they are taught that

these behaviors violate Halacha.



R. Skaist argues forcefully that what is needed to deal with the

decompensatory results of miseducation is a concerted effort

to teach what is normal, rather than being limited to teaching

what behaviors are not desirable. Adolescents need to know

that sexuality should be part of a general emotionally positive

relationship with another individual which includes much more

than physical interaction. R. Skaist also deplores the

differential tracks in sex education of boys vs. girls, which then

potentially portends relationship problem in marital couples.

Juni amplifies this position by noting that members of each

gender often end up with a negative perception of their

spouses as they conflate their negative views of sexuality with

their partners.

R. Kivelevitz explores the Halachic stance toward masturbation

with Dr. Juni and R. Skaist. Apparently, some authorities view

the ban on masturbation as applying solely to cases where it is

used as a method of birth prevention by a married couple.

Knowing that some authorities are not categorically opposed

to masturbation may suffice to minimize the overwhelming

guilt which some religious adolescents experience.

R. Kivelevitz raises the issue of pornography viewing. R. Skaist

dispels some erroneous ideas of how explicit sexual material

might be used in psychotherapy. He a

 Episode 76: Antisemitism, Humor, and the Holocaust:Lubitsch Vs. Brooks

(Except for the introductory initial analysis ofShakespeare’s Shylock in the combined contexts of Antisemitism, Feminism, and the Jewish Humor Genre, this podcast will be of interest primarily to movie buffs who have seen the Ernst Lubitsch Classic comedy “To Be or Not To Be” starring Jack Benny, as well as Mel Brooks’ remake.)  

A lively debate is presented featuring two enthusiastic Rabbinic movie aficionados– Rabbi Joseph Kolakowski and Rabbi Avramel Kivelevitz – along with YacovFreedman, Senior Podcast Producer at Turner Classic Movies -- as they contrast critically the cinematic virtues of the two comedy productions of To Be or Notto Be: the 1942 original directed by Ernst Lubitsch, co-starring Jack Benny with Carole Lombard and the1983 version produced by Mel Brooks, co-starringBrooks and Anne Bancroft.  
R. Kivelevitz introduces the screenplay as a daring approach to the Holocaust, the Nazis, Jewish persecution, and antisemitism. Before the movie buffs go at each other, Prof. Juni structures the session by demarcating the salient psychosocial factors which render Mel Brooks’ humorous treatment of a garb-bag of sensitive issues problematic.  
Juni’s first focus is on Shylock’s famous soliloquy: “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”  
Basing himself on HaroldBloom’s (1998) “Shakespeare: The Invention Of The Human,” Juni argues that, given Shakespeare’santisemitic credentials, Shylock is intended to be played as an out-of-line villain and not as a sympathetic advocate for human rights. As such, Shylock is a money grubbing human caricature, who has grown too big for his britches – upon whom Shakespeare (on behalf of Christianity) then wreaks revenge that dwarfs the misery heaped uponTevye the Milkman by the Gentile world.
Juni then draws parallels to the depiction of Negro slaves as sub-human in the classics, and to the contemporary vilification of Women’s suffrage advocates.  
Another theme highlighted by Juni is the devaluation of women portrayed so boldly by Brooks’ casting of Anne Bancroft, his primary co-star, as a loose womenwith marginal values. Indeed, Brooks comes close to objectifying her as an object akin to that of Ann Dawson’s role in King Kong. 
The major flashpoint for Juni,however, is Brooks’ use of humor in dealing with Nazi atrocities – specifically,as he transforms evil inro buffoonery (continuing his approach from “The Producers”).Based on his extensive research on humor, Juni argues that the intent of humor is totone down disapproval, instead of explicitly expressing unbridled frontal aggression. Reflecting the stance of a number of critics of Holocaust Humor,Juni argues that Brooks diminishes the atrocity of the Holocaust by portraying it as part of a cinematic farce. The Nazis and their heinous collaborators do notdeserve the “kid gloves” finesse of humor, they should be subjected to the scorn they deserve.  

Putin as Lincoln or Korach? A Case of Cross-Cultural Bias & Prejudice



Prof. Juni brings a fresh, though disorienting, skepticism about “self-evident” perspectives on good vs. evil, proposing that our world views are totally blinded by our own ideology. Our international prism thus lacks any relationship to reality. Dr. Juni advances his provocative point of view,based on interpersonal psychology, that our perceptions and judgments are secondary to our needs and agenda. Is Putin a patriot or a villain? Juniargues that our individual perspectives – whether you live in New York or in Moscow – have been programmed by sociocultural factors and lack objectivity.



While most of us have some humility to question our own egoistic needs, culture maintains the virgin holy grail of self-righteous ethnocentricity –where we are absolutely correct and all else is dead wrong. What will it take for all of us to appreciate narratives that differ from ours?



To hundreds of millions, Putin and Lincoln are Patriots. Both were presidents of colonial powers. Both defended their amalgamated states against secession. Both engaged in warfare and justified killings based on nationalist values. And both were vilified by those who saw things differently.



R. Kivelevitz points out that propaganda and associated media have done near-perfect jobs brainwashing constituents into respective official ideologies. Taking the Western position, he points out that Ukraine is an independent country – in contrast to the Southern States who were part of the United States.On the other hand, Juni points out that the USSR federation was not as conceptually distinct as one might believe from the organizational structure of the USA, and the secession of the southern states was not that different than the disbandment of the USSR. Moreover, hundreds of millions of the world’s population argue – with supporting documentation -- that the disbandment of the USSR was explicitly conditioned on continued collaboration between the republics and promises to never join anti-Soviet alliances (e.g., NATO). The betrayal by Ukraine and its severance of alliance with the republics can be seen as legitimate rationale of military action against them – especially since Ukraine arguably consists of millions of ethnic Russians who would rather be under Soviet rule. How different is this divide from the American North-South divide in the 1860’s?



Donning his Civil War Historian aficionado hat, R. Kivelevitz notes the uneven appreciation by Americans – and even among Republicans -- of Lincoln. While historian Harry Jaffa portrays Lincoln as the sagacious ultimate noble human being, he was decried by many as an unscrupulous dictator and tyrant who wantonly suspended habeas corpus, illegally invoked the War Powers Act, and usurped private property by freeing slaves.



R.Kivelevitz notes that many Northern Republicans did not oppose slavery,and that Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was not motivated by moral values. Rather, it was a tactical move aimed at eliminating the slaves as a free labor reservoir for the Southern war effort by prompting slaves to be uncooperative or to escape – let along not enlisting as Confederate troops –and perhaps creating a pro-Union Fifth Column in the South.



Yes. Atrocities are being committed, just as they were committed by all combatant nations. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings certainly were colossal events which are nonetheless seen as justified by many.



R. Kivelevitz drew the parallel between Korach and Putin, citing various rabbinic sources (including Zohar) which feature silver linings about Korach and his constituents. Noting that history is written by the winners, Juni muses, “What would the Chumash look like if Korach had prevailed?”



Prof. Juni is one of the foremost research psychologists in the world today. He has published ground-breaking original research in seventy different peer reviewed jou

Alexa, and Friends as Ladies in Waiting Created by Men: Implications & Fallout 

The common assignation of the feminine gender to these entities which essentially manage the households of so many is the take-off point of a socio-cultural discussion of the history of gender choices for various family roles. 

Recounting that war directives to fighter pilots as well as propaganda (Tokyo Rose) usually made use of a femaleradio broadcaster addressing soldiers, R. Kivelevitz notes the sexist aspects of some of the implicit stereotypes and the feminist reactions to them. 

Prof. Juni outlines the developmental logic of stereotyping women as nurturing and forgiving while men are typically placed into authoritative capable, and punishing roles, noting the consistency of this role division in Victorian and Protestant literature. 

Expanding the analysis to GPS and Smart Homes, R. Kivelevitz notes there has been feminist pushbacks which have tried to promote gender-neutral personas in the voice apps -- even as some have advanced a tone of impersonality to enhance an authoritative tone -- but that these efforts have not gained traction. 

R. Kivelevitz outlines a number of negative repercussions of these Ladies in Waiting, ranging from invasion of privacy, to incursions on personal autonomy and agency on one’s own life-space,to loss of personal boundaries, to rendering people into lazy beings to the atrophy of initiative / creativity to a diminution of veritable interpersonal interactions/ relationships.

He also notes the harmful effects engendered by consumers abusing these “assistants” as a means of expressing harmful antisocial motifs which they would otherwise self-censor. Dr. Juni takes an opposite approach from a psychodynamic lens, seeing such “negative interactions” as a form of psychodrama where people can vent their frustrations in a relatively acceptable venue. 

Prof. Juni is one of the foremost research psychologists in the world today. He has published ground-breaking original research in seventy different peer reviewed journals and is cited continuously with respect by colleagues and experts in the field who have built on his theories and observations.

He studied in Yeshivas Chaim Berlin under Rav Yitzchak Hutner, and in Yeshiva University as a Talmid of Rav Joseph Dov Soloveitchik. Dr. Juni is a board member of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists and has regularly presented addresses to captivated audiences. Associated with NYU since 1979, Juni has served as Director of PhD programs, all the while heading teams engaged in cutting-edge research. Professor Juni's scholarship on aberrant behavior across the cultural, ethnic, and religious spectrum is founded on psychometric methodology and based on a psychodynamic psychopathology perspective. He is arguably the preeminent expert in Differential Diagnostics, with each of his myriad studies entailing parallel efforts in theory construction and empirical data collection from normative and clinical populations.

Professor Juni created and directed the NYU Graduate Program in Tel Aviv titled Cross-Cultural Group Dynamics in Stressful Environments. Based in Yerushalayim, he collaborates with Israeli academic and mental health specialists in the study of dissonant factors and tensions in the Arab-Israeli conflict and those within the Orthodox Jewish community, while exploring personality challenges of second-generation Holocaust survivors.

Below is a partial list of the professional journals where Professor Juni has published 120 theoretical articles and his research findings (many are available online):

Journal of Forensic Psychology; Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma; International Review of Victimology; The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease; International Forum of Psychoanalysis; Journal of Personality Assessment; Journal of Abnormal Psychology; Journal of Psychoanalytic Anthropology; Psychophysiology; Psychology and Human Devel