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Shmuly Yanklowitz (born 1981) is an American rabbi and activist.[1] In March 2012[2] and March 2013,[3] Newsweek listed Yanklowitz as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America.

Educational and professional background

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Yanklowitz was ordained as an Orthodox rabbi at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, received a second rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the chief rabbi of Efrat, and a third rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo of Jerusalem. He earned a master's degree at Harvard University in Leadership and Psychology and a second master's degree in Jewish Philosophy at Yeshiva University. Yanklowitz earned a doctorate from Columbia University in Epistemology and Moral Development and has taught seminars at UCLA School of Law and Barnard College.[citation needed]

Yanklowitz worked in corporate and non-profit consulting and was the director of Panim JAM[expand acronym] in Washington, D.C., training others in leadership and advocacy. While in rabbinical school, Yanklowitz served at four different Orthodox congregations. Yanklowitz served as Senior Jewish Educator and Director of Jewish Life at UCLA Hillel from 2010 to 2012 following his ordination.[4] Yanklowitz has served as a delegate to the World Economic Forum.[why?][5][6][7] In July 2013, he became the executive director of Valley Beit Midrash (VBM) in Phoenix, Arizona, and later assumed the roles of president and dean.[8][9] Yanklowitz expanded VBM from a local initiative to a national organization, establishing a new hub in Denver, Colorado[timeframe?].[10][11] As the leader of VBM, Yanklowitz has promoted religious pluralism.[12]

A film crew followed Yanklowitz for over a year to produce a PBS documentary named The Calling, a series that follows seven Muslims, Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Jews as they train to become professional clergy. The program aired in the United States in December 2010.[13]

Activism

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Yanklowitz is the founder of multiple nonprofit organizations that engage in activism:

  • He founded Uri L'Tzedek, an Orthodox social justice organization.[14] In May 2009, Yanklowitz and the Uri L'Tzedek team launched the Tav HaYosher, an ethical seal for Kosher restaurants that has certified hundreds of restaurants around North America.[15][16] Yanklowitz has promoted deeper Orthodox commitment to universalistic causes and involvement in service-learning missions.[17]
  • He founded SHAMAYIM: Jewish Animal Welfare (previously known as the Shamayim V'Aretz Institute)[when?], an animal welfare and spiritual activism center.[14][18]
  • He founded YATOM: The Jewish Foster & Adoption Network[when?].[19][20]
  • He founded Torat Chayim, a "progressive-minded" Orthodox rabbinic association.[21][22]
  • In 2012, Yanklowitz co-founded "Jews for Human Rights in Syria"[23] and has worked closely with Syrian refugees, including hosting new refugee families annually at his home for Thanksgiving.[24][25]
  • Yanklowitz founded[when?] and leads the Jewish social justice group Arizona Jews for Justice.[26][27][28]

In 2015, Yanklowitz donated his kidney to a stranger.[29] He has advocated for a regulated organ market, cadaveric organ donation, as well as for living kidney donation.[30][31]

Yanklowitz has organized in the Jewish community for the abolition of the death penalty.[32][33] Yanklowitz's organization YATOM provides "educational programs and provides small grants" to families in the adoption/fostering process.[34] Yanklowitz and the Arizona Jews for Justice team launched a mobile cooling van, with the support of the City of Phoenix, to give relief to individuals experiencing homelessness during extreme heat.[35] Yanklowitz and the Arizona Jews for Justice team added the "Let's be Better Humans" humanitarian bus to their outreach approach[when?].[36] Yanklowitz has worked to support people recovering from addiction.[37]

Asylum seekers and refugee relief

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Yanklowitz has advocated for refugees and asylum seekers at the Mexico-United States border, calling the need to assist asylum seekers a "spiritual revolution".[38] Yanklowitz is critical of what he claims is the mistreatment of asylum seekers.[39] Through Uri L'Tzedek[40] and Arizona Jews for Justice,[41][42] Yanklowitz and partners have raised awareness on the issue and have led campaigns to collect supplies for asylum seekers released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yanklowitz launched The Mask Project, which employs immigrant mothers to make masks for populations such as the Navajo Nation and people experiencing homelessness.[43][44]

Yanklowitz has led initiatives to support Afghan refugees.[45][46]

Jewish veganism

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Yanklowitz is vegan.[47] Under Yanklowitz's direction, the Shamayim: Jewish Animal Welfare has led the Synagogue Vegan Challenge since the Summer of 2017.[48][49][50]

Yanklowitz has written extensively on questions of Jewish veganism and vegetarianism. He has argued that Jewish animal ethics can encompass both speciest frameworks and more egalitarian frameworks.[51] Yanklowitz has opposed the shackle-and-hoist method of slaughter.[52]

Yanklowitz was featured in the 2019 documentary A Prayer for Compassion about veganism and spirituality.[53]

Written works

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Yanklowitz has published over 25 books.[54]

Personal life

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Yanklowitz is married, has four biological children, has fostered children, and lives in Scottsdale.[55][10] Yanklowitz himself underwent an Orthodox conversion to Judaism, as he is the son of a Jewish father and a Christian mother.[56] He is an advocate for greater inclusion of Jewish converts[57][58][59] and for the inclusion of interfaith families.[60]

Recognition

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In 2022, Yanklowitz was recognized as one of the top faith leaders to watch by the Center for American Progress.[61] In addition,The Forward named Yanklowitz one of the 50 most influential Jews of 2016 and also one of the most inspiring rabbis in America.[62][63][64] In 2022, Yanklowitz was honored by The Leonard I. Beerman Foundation For Peace and Justice, alongside Dolores Huerta.[65] In 2020, Yanklowitz was named a "Hero of Dialogue" by the international group KAICIID.[66] Yanklowitz spoke at the White House Passover seder[67] and has been a regular at the White House Chanukah events.[68]

References

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  1. ^ Borschel-Dan, Amanda (June 19, 2015). "Arizona rabbi donates his 'spare' kidney to save young Israeli". The Times of Israel.
  2. ^ "Wolpe heads Newsweek's list of 50 top rabbis". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. April 3, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  3. ^ Editor, LEISAH WOLDOFF Managing (June 6, 2013). "Valley Beit Midrash hires one of 'America's top 50 rabbis'". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved April 1, 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "Hillel at UCLA".
  5. ^ "List of Participants - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting" (PDF). April 30, 2013.
  6. ^ "Our Man in Davos". www.hillel.org. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  7. ^ Jewish Ethics & Social Justice by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, September 6, 2011, retrieved March 27, 2020
  8. ^ "Valley Beit Midrash hires one of 'America's top 50 rabbis'". www.jewishaz.com. June 6, 2013.
  9. ^ "Staff & Board Of Directors". valleybeitmidrash.org. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Yudelson, Larry. "Just Torah". njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  11. ^ "Valley Beit Midrash Officially Launches New Denver Hub". Boulder Jewish News. August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  12. ^ Levitt, Shannon (October 9, 2023). "'Both these and those,' Phoenix lecture tests Jewish value of conflicting ideas". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  13. ^ "The Calling". PBS.
  14. ^ a b "Orthodox activist outlines a Judaism of the heart | Culture". September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  15. ^ "Tav HaYosher Celebrates 100th Certified Restaurant". The Forward. March 21, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  16. ^ "New Restaurant Seal Meets With Approval". The Forward. March 11, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  17. ^ Cohen, Haley (July 18, 2023). "Looking out to the wider world, Orthodox Union launches Rwanda relief mission". eJewish Philanthropy. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  18. ^ "For Judaism to survive, it has to get out of the shtetl". South African Jewish Report. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  19. ^ "An un-Orthodox approach". New Jersey Jewish News | NJJN. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  20. ^ "A single foster mother? Welcome to life as a mom-to-be – J". J. May 11, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  21. ^ Maltz, Judy (August 27, 2018). "Rallying Against Trump, These Are Not Your Parents' Orthodox Rabbis". Haaretz. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  22. ^ {{Cite no news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-dozens-of-israeli-u-s-orthodox-rabbis-come-out-in-support-of-lgbtqs-1.6337074%7Ctitle=Dozens of Israeli and U.S. Orthodox Rabbis Come Out in Support of LGBTQ Community|last=Maltz|first=Judy|date=2018-08-01|work=Haaretz|access-date=2018-08-27|language=en}}
  23. ^ "Rabbis Urge Pelosi To Allow Vote on Bill That Would Sanction Assad Regime". September 30, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  24. ^ Ghert-Zand, Renee. "Activist Phoenix rabbi hosts Syrian refugee family for Thanksgiving". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  25. ^ Lakritz, Talia. "An Orthodox Jewish rabbi hosts Syrian refugee families at his Thanksgiving table every year". Insider. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  26. ^ "Passover guides serve up a side of social justice for the seder table". Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  27. ^ "Jewish groups' efforts to help refugees continue". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  28. ^ "A call to welcome refugees". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  29. ^ Borschel-Dan, Amanda (June 19, 2015). "Arizona rabbi donates his 'spare' kidney to save young Israeli". The Times of Israel.
  30. ^ Yanklowitz, Shmuly. "I donated a kidney to a stranger. It shouldn't be this tough for others to give". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  31. ^ Yanklowitz, Shmuly (October 27, 2015). "Give a Kidney, Get a Check". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  32. ^ Paul, Deanna (October 31, 2018). "Prosecutors want the death penalty for suspect in synagogue massacre. Here's why rabbis oppose it". Washington Post. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  33. ^ "Over 100 Rabbis Denounce The Death Penalty". The Forward. August 11, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  34. ^ "An Orthodox Jewish multiracial family in Montana wants to break taboos about adoption". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. September 24, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  35. ^ "Homeless outreach group uses Phoenix funding for mobile cooling van". KJZZ. July 4, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  36. ^ Levitt, Shannon (November 8, 2022). "AJJ's big humanitarian bus brings toys, aid and experience". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  37. ^ Jacobs, Sarah. "Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz". Beit T'Shuvah. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  38. ^ Abramsky, Sasha (July 1, 2019). "Trump Is Dumping Asylum Seekers on American Streets—but Solidarity Activists Are Fighting Back". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  39. ^ Gonzalez, Daniel. "Advocates want action from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema on detained migrant children in Arizona, Texas". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  40. ^ Chandler, Doug (June 20, 2018). "From Here To The Border, Trump Policy Outrages Jews". jewishweek.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  41. ^ Michaelson, Shanee (January 23, 2019). "B'nai David-Judea Brings Aid to Arizona Asylum-Seekers". Jewish Journal. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  42. ^ Gelbart, Debra (February 14, 2017). "Jewish groups' efforts to help refugees continue". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  43. ^ "The Mask Project offers jobs to unemployed and masks to Arizona's hardest-hit communities". Religion News Service. May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  44. ^ O'Brien, Ellen (April 28, 2020). "AJJ Mask Project is 'gleam of hope' for vulnerable groups". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  45. ^ Basnet, Neetish. "'We know what it's like to be persecuted': Jewish nonprofit aids Arizona Afghan refugees". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  46. ^ Raz, Nicole (November 4, 2021). "Arizona's Jews turn out to support Afghan refugees". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  47. ^ Yanklowitz, Shmuly (May 29, 2014). "Why This Rabbi is Swearing off Kosher Meat". Wall Street Journal.
  48. ^ "The Synagogue Vegan Challenge". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  49. ^ "Jewish Animal Welfare Group Pushes Synagogues To 'Go Vegan'". The Forward. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  50. ^ "Jewish Animal Welfare Organization Challenges Synagogues To Go Vegan". Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  51. ^ Labendz, Jacob Ari; Yanklowitz, Shmuly, eds. (March 25, 2019). Jewish veganism and vegetarianism: studies and new directions. SUNY Press. pp. xviii. ISBN 9781438473611. OCLC 1041228582.
  52. ^ Schwartz, Yaakov. "As Israel bans 'shackle and hoist' slaughter, activists ask: What about the US?". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  53. ^ Webber, Jemima (November 8, 2018). "New Documentary Explores the Spiritual Side of Being Vegan". LiveKindly. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  54. ^ "Books by Rabbi Yanklowitz". Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  55. ^ "Leadership - Valley Beit Midrash".
  56. ^ Shmuly Yanklowitz (November 23, 2014). "Judaism Must Embrace the Convert". The New York Times.
  57. ^ "Converting to Judaism". Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. May 1, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  58. ^ Arom, Eitan (September 7, 2016). "Orthodox activist outlines a Judaism of the heart". Jewish Journal. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  59. ^ Arom, Eitan (July 27, 2016). "The complex, secret path to becoming an Orthodox Jew". Jewish Journal. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  60. ^ "Intermarried Jews are not a second Holocaust". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. July 11, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  61. ^ "22 Faith Leaders To Watch in 2022". Center for American Progress. March 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  62. ^ "Shmuly Yanklowitz: A Rabbi Leading by Example". The Forward. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  63. ^ "Ivanka Trump tops Forward 50 list of Jews impacting American life". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. November 15, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  64. ^ "Shmuly Yanklowitz". The Forward. May 15, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  65. ^ "The Leonard I. Beerman Foundation For Peace and Justice 2022 Virtual Celebration: Award for Social Justice in Action to Dolores Huerta". Holman United Methodist Church. March 9, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  66. ^ "Faith Communities Provide Much Needed Refugee Relief Services". KAICIID. March 31, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  67. ^ 2023 White House Passover Seder, April 12, 2023, retrieved April 21, 2023
  68. ^ Lowenfeld, Jonah (December 15, 2010). "The rabbi and his 'calling'". Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
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