Harold M. Schulweis
Encyclopedia
Harold M. Schulweis is an American rabbi
and author. He is the longtime spiritual Leader at Valley Beth Shalom
in Encino, California.
and Jewish traditions. His early Jewish education was influenced by his grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Rezak, who introduced him to the Talmud
. In 1945, Schulweis graduated Yeshiva University
with a degree in philosophy. At the time of his graduation, the Orthodox leadership had been engaged in a feud with Mordecai Kaplan
, who was excommunicated
and had his books burned. Curious about his teachings, Schulweis enrolled in the Jewish Theological Seminary
, where he studied under Kaplan and Abraham Joshua Heschel
. Schulweis also studied philosophy at New York University
, where he met his wife Malkah.
In 1986, Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis established The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) to fulfill the traditional Jewish commitment to hakarat hatov, the searching out and recognition of goodness. To this end, the JFR is committed to assisting those Righteous Gentiles who are in need. They are often reluctant to ask for help; they acted without expecting reward then or now. However, as Rabbi Schulweis realized, it is our duty to honor and support them.
The JFR started out funding eight rescuers, and that number quickly grew, reaching 1,750. Now, as the rescuers age and pass on, the number of rescuers receiving our support is declining; however, we continue to receive new applications on behalf of recently recognized rescuers. Currently, the JFR supports more than 850 aged and needy rescuers in 23 countries.
In addition to providing needed financial assistance to rescuers each month, the Foundation preserves the memory and legacy of the rescuers through its national Holocaust education program. The goal of the program is to educate middle and high school teachers about the history of the Holocaust and to provide them with the resources to integrate this knowledge into their classrooms .
congregation in Oakland, California in 1952. Among the innovations he introduced was the inclusion of women in minyan
im and bat mitzvah ceremonies for girls. Instead of sermons, he used the alloted time for questions and answers. Schulweis has been criticized by the religious right for his interfaith and conversion programs, and open inclusion of homosexuals. Rabbi Meir Kahane
criticized Schulweis for allowing a pro-PLO Arab
Knesset
member to speak at his synagogue, while refusing to extend the same opportunity to Kahane, who was also a Knesset member at the time.Newsweek
magazine called him "the leading Conservative rabbi of his generation" and placed him 13th on their list of the Top 50 Rabbis in America. Though he is affiliated with the Conservative Movement
he is considered one of the greatest authorities and theologians of Reconstructionist Judaism
today.
, a human rights watch group. He was instrumental in the creation of the Chavurah
movement in the late 1960s. Schulweis served as technical advisor for Judaism
-themed episodes of the Simpsons.
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Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and author. He is the longtime spiritual Leader at Valley Beth Shalom
Valley Beth Shalom
Valley Beth Shalom is a Conservative Synagogue in Encino, Los Angeles, California. With over 1,800 member families it is one of the largest synagogues in Los Angeles and one of the largest Conservative synagogues in the United States...
in Encino, California.
Biography
Schulweis was born in Bronx, New York in 1925 to secular parents who respected ZionismZionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and Jewish traditions. His early Jewish education was influenced by his grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Rezak, who introduced him to the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
. In 1945, Schulweis graduated Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
with a degree in philosophy. At the time of his graduation, the Orthodox leadership had been engaged in a feud with Mordecai Kaplan
Mordecai Kaplan
Mordecai Menahem Kaplan , was a rabbi, essayist and Jewish educator and the co-founder of Reconstructionist Judaism along with his son-in-law Ira Eisenstein.-Life and work:...
, who was excommunicated
Cherem
Cherem , is the highest ecclesiastical censure in the Jewish community. It is the total exclusion of a person from the Jewish community. It is a form of shunning, and is similar to excommunication in the Catholic Church...
and had his books burned. Curious about his teachings, Schulweis enrolled in the Jewish Theological Seminary
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
, where he studied under Kaplan and Abraham Joshua Heschel
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Abraham Joshua Heschel was a Polish-born American rabbi and one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century.-Biography:...
. Schulweis also studied philosophy at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, where he met his wife Malkah.
In 1986, Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis established The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) to fulfill the traditional Jewish commitment to hakarat hatov, the searching out and recognition of goodness. To this end, the JFR is committed to assisting those Righteous Gentiles who are in need. They are often reluctant to ask for help; they acted without expecting reward then or now. However, as Rabbi Schulweis realized, it is our duty to honor and support them.
The JFR started out funding eight rescuers, and that number quickly grew, reaching 1,750. Now, as the rescuers age and pass on, the number of rescuers receiving our support is declining; however, we continue to receive new applications on behalf of recently recognized rescuers. Currently, the JFR supports more than 850 aged and needy rescuers in 23 countries.
In addition to providing needed financial assistance to rescuers each month, the Foundation preserves the memory and legacy of the rescuers through its national Holocaust education program. The goal of the program is to educate middle and high school teachers about the history of the Holocaust and to provide them with the resources to integrate this knowledge into their classrooms .
Rabbinical career
Schulweis's first pulpit was Temple Beth Abraham, a Conservative JewishConservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
congregation in Oakland, California in 1952. Among the innovations he introduced was the inclusion of women in minyan
Minyan
A minyan in Judaism refers to the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. According to many non-Orthodox streams of Judaism adult females count in the minyan....
im and bat mitzvah ceremonies for girls. Instead of sermons, he used the alloted time for questions and answers. Schulweis has been criticized by the religious right for his interfaith and conversion programs, and open inclusion of homosexuals. Rabbi Meir Kahane
Meir Kahane
Martin David Kahane , also known as Meir Kahane , was an American-Israeli rabbi and ultra-nationalist writer and political figure. He was an ordained Orthodox rabbi and later served as a member of the Israeli Knesset...
criticized Schulweis for allowing a pro-PLO Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
member to speak at his synagogue, while refusing to extend the same opportunity to Kahane, who was also a Knesset member at the time.Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine called him "the leading Conservative rabbi of his generation" and placed him 13th on their list of the Top 50 Rabbis in America. Though he is affiliated with the Conservative Movement
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
he is considered one of the greatest authorities and theologians of Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism
Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of Mordecai Kaplan . The movement views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization. It originated as a branch of Conservative Judaism, before it splintered...
today.
Human rights and Jewish activism
Schulweis founded the Jewish World WatchJewish World Watch
The Jewish World Watch is an NGO based out of Southern California, a coalition of more than 60 synagogues including Valley Beth Shalom and Jewish groups with the objective of educating, advocating, and donating in order to combat genocide and other human rights violations all over the world...
, a human rights watch group. He was instrumental in the creation of the Chavurah
Chavurah
A chavurah or havurah is a small group of like-minded Jews who assemble for the purposes of facilitating Shabbat and holiday prayer services, sharing communal experiences such as lifecycle events, and Jewish learning...
movement in the late 1960s. Schulweis served as technical advisor for Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
-themed episodes of the Simpsons.
Published works
- Evil and the Morality of God, (1983)
- In God's Mirror: Reflections and Essays, (1990)
- For Those Who Can't Believe: Overcoming the Obstacles to Faith, (1994)
- Meditations and Prayers for the Renewal of the Body and the Renewal of the Spirit, (2000)
- Finding Each Other in Judaism: Meditations on the Rites of Passage from Birth to Immortality, (2001)
- When You Lie Down and When You Rise Up: Nighstand Meditations, (2001)
- Conscience: The Duty to Obey and the Duty to Disobey, (2008)
Articles
Articles in Sh'ma Magazine
- Hope and Faith (2004)
- Confronting the Angel of Death (1996)
- When Lucy Cohen's Mother Is Not Jewish (1994)
- If I Were an Orthodox Rabbi (1989)
- Jewish Isolation After the Holocaust (1988)
- Polarizing Movements-and Our People (1985)
- The Limits of Spero's Argument (1983)
- When Ethics and Halacha Collide (1979)
- We Need Women Conservative Rabbis (1979)
- When Dissent is Not a Virtue (1976)
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