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Aish HaTorah's Noach Weinberg is what Dennis Prager could've been if Prager had become an Orthodox rabbi and devoted his talents entirely to the Jewish people.

Rabbi Weinberg and Prager fundamentally share values but present important differences. They share in common:

* Deep love and support for Judaism and Torah.

* Both regard the purpose of life is to enjoy yourself (in an ethical and uplifting way).

* Both have the gift of words and are exciting and dynamic thinkers and speakers. They both arouse tremendous enthusiasm in thousands of intelligent and dedicated individuals.

* They are both philosophers who will leave a lasting imprint on Judaism and the world.

* Each have brought thousands to Judaism.

* Both believe in a religion of joy.

Rabbi Weinberg and Prager differ in these ways:

* Dennis primarily speaks to non-Jews. He lives in Los Angeles while Rabbi Weinberg resides in Jerusalem.

* Rabbi Weinberg is more firmly within Jewish tradition and Jewish Law.

* Rabbi Weinberg founded and developed an organization while Prager has yet to demonstrate such skills. The rabbi appears more secure in allowing others to represent him and develop institutions in his name.

* Prager influences all the major streams of Jewish life while Rabbi Weinberg's touch is mostly felt within orthodoxy.

For more about Aish HaTorah, a fervently Orthodox organization, click here.

Rabbi Weinberg believes that it is Aish's duty to educate Dennis about Judaism and bring him back to Torah.

Most of the similarities between Prager and Rabbi Weinberg would also apply to Prager and his friend Rabbi Yi--- Adl- of the Yeshiva University Los Angeles. Both inspired me to convert to Judaism.

Rabbi Adlerstein is a tall, charismatic right-wing Aguda orthodox rabbi and a longtime friend of Prager's. They used to regularly study Talmud during the days that Dennis primarily attended orthodox synagogues and did not drive on Sabbath.

Then they stopped studying together (around 1992-93?) and went several years (1994-97) without even seeing each other. I do not know the exact reason for this but it would primarily have to do with their different values and different approach to Judaism. Prager began driving on the Sabbath shortly after his second marriage (to Fran, a convert). Since 1990? he has attended a liberal synagogue. Perhaps in part due to his growing distance with orthodoxy, he moved out of the strongly orthodox neighborhood of Pico-Robertson in mid'97 and moved out on his own into the country in West Hills in the San Fernando Valley. Again, this move was primarily in consideration of Fran's preferences (for country living).

Rabbi Adl-- has a dozen children while Prager has three. Though he speaks with the non-orthodox and serves on the Los Angeles Board of Rabbis with non-orthodox rabbis, Rabbi Adl-- passionately seeks to bring Jews to traditional observance and belief. Because of his commitment to tradition, his followers rise as a sign of respect whenever he walks into a room and steps to the lectern. Because Prager generally moves in a less traditional atmosphere, he does not usually receive such signs of respect.

Rabbis Adl-- and Weinberg, as well as Prager, all have strong followings in the intellectual, Jewish and media worlds. All three appear frequently in the media. All three feel varying degrees of discomfort with its pagan atmosphere.

Virtually all of the above similarities and tensions would also apply to Prager and Chabad Rabbi Cunin.

Rabbi Cunin founded the Westwood Chabad on the orders of the late Rebbe, and has become perhaps the most powerful figure in Lubavitch Judaism. Rabbi Cunin frequently allowed Prager to speak at Chabad synagogues though in 1994 he began forbidding it. He forced the cancellation of a Prager speech at a UC Berkeley Chabad, presumably because of Prager's differences with orthodoxy. In 1997, Dennis began speaking again for Chabad.

Rabbi Cunin, who has about a dozen children, says Prager has bought more Jews to Orthodox Judaism than anyone (aside from the entire Lubavitch movement, the most proselytizing of the Hasidic sects).

Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz served as the rabbi of the Westwood UCLA Chabad for over ten years, until his eccentric ways forced his ouster. Schwartzie now runs the Chai Center, an outreach organization to bring Jews, particularly single Jews, within the wings of the Shechina (divine presence). Prager and Schwartzie probably have more in common than Prager does with the other rabbis mentioned above.