Jack Moline
Encyclopedia
Jack Moline is an American Conservative
rabbi
who has served as rabbi of Agudas Achim Congregation
in Alexandria, Virginia
since 1987 and Director of Public Policy for the Rabbinical Assembly
since 2009, and is a past Chair of the Board of the Interfaith Alliance.
In 2008, he was named by Newsweek
magazine as one of the top pulpit rabbis in America (#3 in a list of 25), and in 2010 and 2011 as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. He has served in numerous leadership positions for Jewish, interfaith, and community organizations, and has advised key religious and political leaders of the United States on issues of religion and values. In 1995, he helped write President Bill Clinton
's famous
"Shalom, Haver" eulogy for Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin
.
whose jobs before becoming a rabbi included driving a delivery truck, working as a clown in a family restaurant and giving tours at Universal Studios
in California (which included Hebrew
tours to visiting Israelis).
He graduated from Northwestern University
(School of Communications), in 1974. Before entering the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
(JTS) he served as Director of Youth Activities for the Seaboard Region of United Synagogue
and interim director of the Hillel Foundation at the University of Virginia
.
He was ordained in 1982 by JTS in New York, spending his first two years at the University of Judaism
(now the American Jewish University) in Los Angeles
. During this time he held part-time positions at Camp Ramah
as Winter Program Director, Temple Ramat Zion as Rabbinic Intern, in addition to his work at Universal Studios as Tour Guide. During third-year studies at the JTS Jerusalem campus, he served as rabbi of the Conservative congregation of Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter.
From 1980-1982, Moline completed his studies at the New York campus of JTS and served Congregation B'nai Israel in Danbury, Connecticut
as student rabbi, serving as full-time rabbi and part-time Jewish chaplain at the Federal Correctional Institution there upon ordination. In 1987, he became rabbi of Agudas Achim Congregation of Northern Virginia, in Alexandria, Virginia
; chair of the board, Interfaith Alliance; vice-president of the regional Rabbinical Assembly
; the national board of the Faith and Politics Institute
; the honorary board of Operation Understanding DC; President, Washington Board of Rabbis; President, the Alexandria Interfaith Association; the boards of the Jewish Community Center
of Northern Virginia and the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; the boards of the Rabbinical Assembly, the regional American Jewish Congress
and Gesher Jewish Day School. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Virginia Theological Seminary
, has served on the Program Board of the Cathedral College of the Washington National Cathedral
, is one of the U.S. religious advisors to Clergy Beyond Borders, and serves on the board of advisors to Legacy International.
Moline is frequently involved in special religious services and events, including a May 2010 trip to Israel with Rahm Emanuel
. Moline co-officiated at the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for Emanuel's son and nephew, along with Rabbi Kenneth Chasen from Los Angeles. The ceremony took place at the site known as the "Masorti
Kotel," the area at the southern end of the Western Wall
where worshipers are allowed to pray without being separated into separate sections for men and women. In 2011 Moline officiated at a "Food and Justice Seder
" held at the Department of Agriculture, and sponsored by the Jewish Funds for Justice
and the Progressive Jewish Alliance
.
In 2007, Moline attended a Christian Zionist
Conference hosted by the Reverend John Hagee
's organization, a decision that aroused some controversy within the Jewish community. Moline took pride in his participation, noting that "We're [those in the Jewish community] no longer in a position of being too selective in choosing our friends," and citing "the threat posed by Iran and Israel's growing isolation." He has also taken a strong stand against those who attack Islam
in general or individual Muslims regardless of their own words and actions, and therefore was a strong voice among those who rebuked Republican congressman Allen West for his “intemperate” comments about Muslim Democratic congressman Keith Ellison
and his Islamic faith. Moline was also one of the religious leaders to speak out against Rep. Peter T. King
’s 2011 congressional hearings on "the radicalization of American Muslims." In 2009 he spoke on the topic of "Preventing Future Holocausts" during a tour of the United States Holocaust Museum by a group of rabbis and imams from ten European nations.
Moline is on the steering committee of "Shoulder to Shoulder: Standing with American Muslims; Upholding American Values," which describes itself as "a campaign of national faith-based organizations and religious denominations to promote tolerance and put an end to anti-Muslim bigotry." In a March 2010 statement, the group wrote that
For similar reasons, he was an outspoken critic of the 2005 documentary film "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West
," which he described as "a thinly-veiled call for disparagement and distrust of all Muslims."
Moline participated in the opening prayer service for the United States Congress
in 2009 and 2011, representing the Jewish community at the request of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi
and Speaker-elect John Boehner
, respectively. In March 2011 he spoke at a special meeting of the "Black and Jewish Members of Congress Breakfast."
’s Institute for Public Affairs, both of which are “active players in the capital.” Understanding that there is a “diverse RA membership behind him and an even more diverse population of Conservative Jews,” Moline’s responsibilities were expected to focus on “broad consensus positions of the movement and on laying out broad principles based on Conservative thinking.” However, as one Washington Jewish Week
article noted, “… he is also an experienced Washington player; a lot of the new Conservative movement’s impact may be under the radar with Moline at the helm.” Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg, then President of the Rabbinical Assembly, praised the choice of Moline for the new position, saying that “Rabbi Moline is that perfect combination of smart, well-connected, socially-savvy and thoroughly conversant on the issues of the day. In addition, he knows the ins and outs of the Washington world. His appointment ushers in an exciting new era for the Rabbinical Assembly and Conservative Judaism.”
In 2010, Moline spoke to his friend Rahm Emanuel
, the White House Chief of Staff
, about the Obama
administration's perceived lack of friendliness toward Israel. As a result of that conversation, Moline initiated two “intimate White House meetings” between the White House and “a carefully selected slate of 15 rabbis from across the country representing the Orthodox
, Reform
and Conservative
streams.” Moline's notes on those meetings, shared with the larger community by some of the participants, have become the official historical record of this initiative.
Prior to the election, Moline had worked to support Obama's campaign, helping to organize "Rabbis for Obama", and serving as one of its vice-chairs—stressing, along with all other rabbis involved in the effort, that he was working as a private citizen, not in any official capacity representing others.
After the election, Moline attended the "Obama family's private church service" which took place prior to the official inauguration.
In December 2010, Moline was one of the religious leaders who urged the Senate to pass the DREAM Act
(Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors), stating that "We have a special responsibility to these young people who wish no longer to be resident strangers but to take their place among us." In 2011, when the newly installed Republican leadership in the House of Representatives considered a number of bills to restrict abortion, Moline worked with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
to ensure religious voices were heard. Moline said that, “Abortion, while rarely desirable, is sometimes necessary.... Jewish tradition believes that proper medical care is an essential aspect of human society, and that it should not be limited to people with exceptional resources.” Asked to comment on a White House decision to include a creche
in the East Room of the White House, Moline said it was not appropriate in the "public areas of the White House...where every American should feel at home," as opposed to White House areas regarded as the presidential family's "private residence." "The display of a creche is a religious symbol," he said, "and is as out of place as a menorah. The issue has to do with what is consistent with the Constitution, and a creche in the East Room isn't.",
. He writes about many subjects, including the issue of homosexuality and Jewish law, and is a frequent contributor to interfaith blogs such as "On Faith." He has advised and written for many public figures, including President Bill Clinton
, for whom he composed much of his memorable eulogy for Israel
i Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
. Moline visited the White House weekly to lead a Torah study
session with Rahm Emanuel, when Emanuel was a political advisor in the Clinton administration.
Moline is a popular speaker, featured at sessions at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute
, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
, United Jewish Communities
, the Democratic National Convention
, on radio and television broadcasts and in synagogues and Jewish Community Centers across the United States and Canada.
In addition to his serious work with the Jewish community, the larger interfaith community, and the nation’s leaders, he is also known for his sharp sense of humor. Referred to by Washington journalist James Besser as “one of the funniest rabbis around, ” Moline is the author of a well known Jewish parody of Abbott and Costello
’s “Who's on First?
” Vaudeville
dialogue, known as “Abbott and Costello Learn Hebrew”. He is also the author of a humor column that used to be published in the The New York Jewish Week. His book, "Growing up Jewish," was written at the urging of a cousin who was a literary agent who appreciated his sense of humor, and thought the book would be a good follow-up to an earlier work, "Growing up Catholic." Moline, who grew up with a love for humor, said that he always took great pleasure from the knowledge that The Three Stooges were Jewish. However, he also described his appreciation for the role of humor in Jewish history, noting that "Jews have used humor to stay sane in a world in which they have so often been mistreated," and there is a possibility that one reason there were so many Jewish comedians is that outsiders have sometimes been willing to "play the clown" in order to be accepted.
in 2008, and one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America in 2010 and 2011.
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,...
rabbi
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...
who has served as rabbi of Agudas Achim Congregation
Agudas Achim Congregation (Alexandria, Virginia)
Agudas Achim Congregation is a Conservative synagogue located at 2908 Valley Drive in Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, DC. The synagogue was founded in 1914, and its cemetery was founded in 1933.-History:The synagogue was founded in 1914...
in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
since 1987 and Director of Public Policy for the Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbinical Assembly
The Rabbinical Assembly is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, and oversees the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and...
since 2009, and is a past Chair of the Board of the Interfaith Alliance.
In 2008, he was named by 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 as one of the top pulpit rabbis in America (#3 in a list of 25), and in 2010 and 2011 as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. He has served in numerous leadership positions for Jewish, interfaith, and community organizations, and has advised key religious and political leaders of the United States on issues of religion and values. In 1995, he helped write President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's famous
"Shalom, Haver" eulogy for Israeli Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
.
Early life
Moline is a native of ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
whose jobs before becoming a rabbi included driving a delivery truck, working as a clown in a family restaurant and giving tours at Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
in California (which included Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
tours to visiting Israelis).
He graduated from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
(School of Communications), in 1974. Before entering the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
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...
(JTS) he served as Director of Youth Activities for the Seaboard Region of United Synagogue
United Synagogue
United Synagogue is an organisation of London Jews that was founded with the sanction of an Act of Parliament, in 1870. , it remains the largest religious grouping within the British Jewish community and indeed in Europe, covering 62 Orthodox Jewish communities...
and interim director of the Hillel Foundation at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
He was ordained in 1982 by JTS in New York, spending his first two years at the University of Judaism
University of Judaism
The American Jewish University, formerly the separate institutions University of Judaism and Brandeis-Bardin Institute, is a Jewish, non-denominational educational institution in Los Angeles, California....
(now the American Jewish University) in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. During this time he held part-time positions at Camp Ramah
Camp Ramah
Camp Ramah is a network of Jewish summer camps affiliated with the Conservative Movement. The camps operate in the United States, Canada, and Israel. Ramah camps serve kosher food and are Shabbat-observant.-History:...
as Winter Program Director, Temple Ramat Zion as Rabbinic Intern, in addition to his work at Universal Studios as Tour Guide. During third-year studies at the JTS Jerusalem campus, he served as rabbi of the Conservative congregation of Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter.
From 1980-1982, Moline completed his studies at the New York campus of JTS and served Congregation B'nai Israel in Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
as student rabbi, serving as full-time rabbi and part-time Jewish chaplain at the Federal Correctional Institution there upon ordination. In 1987, he became rabbi of Agudas Achim Congregation of Northern Virginia, in Alexandria, Virginia
Professional service
In addition to his service as spiritual leader of Agudas Achim Congregation, Moline has served in leadership positions for numerous Jewish, interfaith, and community organizations. Among positions he currently holds or has held or are: Chair, Interfaith Relations Committee of the Jewish Council for Public AffairsJewish Council for Public Affairs
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is an American Jewish non-profit organization that deals with community relations. It is a coordinating round table organization of 14 other national Jewish organizations as well as 127 local Jewish federations and community relations councils...
; chair of the board, Interfaith Alliance; vice-president of the regional Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbinical Assembly
The Rabbinical Assembly is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, and oversees the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and...
; the national board of the Faith and Politics Institute
Faith and Politics Institute
The Faith & Politics Institute is a Washington, D.C. non-profit organization that serves members of Congress and congressional staff by offering experiential pilgrimages, reflection groups, retreats and public forums." Through its bipartisan and interfaith dialogues and programs, the group "works...
; the honorary board of Operation Understanding DC; President, Washington Board of Rabbis; President, the Alexandria Interfaith Association; the boards of the Jewish Community Center
Jewish Community Center
A Jewish Community Center or Jewish Community Centre is a general recreational, social and fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities...
of Northern Virginia and the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; the boards of the Rabbinical Assembly, the regional American Jewish Congress
American Jewish Congress
The American Jewish Congress describes itself as an association of Jewish Americans organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad through public policy advocacy, using diplomacy, legislation, and the courts....
and Gesher Jewish Day School. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary , formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States. Founded in 1818, VTS is situated on an campus in Alexandria, Virginia, just a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. VTS...
, has served on the Program Board of the Cathedral College of the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
, is one of the U.S. religious advisors to Clergy Beyond Borders, and serves on the board of advisors to Legacy International.
Moline is frequently involved in special religious services and events, including a May 2010 trip to Israel with Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama...
. Moline co-officiated at the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for Emanuel's son and nephew, along with Rabbi Kenneth Chasen from Los Angeles. The ceremony took place at the site known as the "Masorti
Masorti
The Masorti Movement is the name given to Conservative Judaism in Israel and other countries outside Canada and U.S. Masorti means "traditional" in Hebrew...
Kotel," the area at the southern end of the Western Wall
Western Wall
The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is located in the Old City of Jerusalem at the foot of the western side of the Temple Mount...
where worshipers are allowed to pray without being separated into separate sections for men and women. In 2011 Moline officiated at a "Food and Justice Seder
Passover Seder
The Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted on the evenings of the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, and on the 15th by traditionally observant Jews living outside Israel. This corresponds to late March or April in...
" held at the Department of Agriculture, and sponsored by the Jewish Funds for Justice
Jewish Funds for Justice
The Jewish Funds for Justice is an Amercian charity based in New York. Since 2005, Simon Greer has been its President & CEO.-History:The original Jewish Fund for Justice was created in 1984...
and the Progressive Jewish Alliance
Progressive Jewish Alliance
The Progressive Jewish Alliance was founded in 1999 by Jewish Angelenos who broke away from the Los Angeles chapter of the American Jewish Congress. They sought to assert an authentic progressive Jewish presence in the campaigns for social justice in Southern California, home to the United...
.
Interfaith affairs
Moline has been active in numerous interfaith groups, including ongoing dialogues with African American ministers and social justice causes at home and abroad. He is a past Chair of the Board of the Interfaith Alliance, describing that organization as"...a national organization, which now for almost a generation has been addressing the relationship between religious faith, politics and government. It stands for faith and freedom. We are, to the best of our knowledge, the only national organization that addresses the positive influence of religion on government and government on religion, protecting the independence of each."
In 2007, Moline attended a Christian Zionist
Christian Zionism
Christian Zionism is a belief among some Christians that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, is in accordance with Biblical prophecy. It overlaps with, but is distinct from, the nineteenth century movement for the Restoration of the Jews...
Conference hosted by the Reverend John Hagee
John Hagee
John Charles Hagee is an American founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational charismatic megachurch with more than 19,000 active members...
's organization, a decision that aroused some controversy within the Jewish community. Moline took pride in his participation, noting that "We're [those in the Jewish community] no longer in a position of being too selective in choosing our friends," and citing "the threat posed by Iran and Israel's growing isolation." He has also taken a strong stand against those who attack Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in general or individual Muslims regardless of their own words and actions, and therefore was a strong voice among those who rebuked Republican congressman Allen West for his “intemperate” comments about Muslim Democratic congressman Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison (politician)
Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
and his Islamic faith. Moline was also one of the religious leaders to speak out against Rep. Peter T. King
Peter T. King
Peter T. "Pete" King is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. King's central Long Island district includes parts of Nassau and Suffolk counties....
’s 2011 congressional hearings on "the radicalization of American Muslims." In 2009 he spoke on the topic of "Preventing Future Holocausts" during a tour of the United States Holocaust Museum by a group of rabbis and imams from ten European nations.
Moline is on the steering committee of "Shoulder to Shoulder: Standing with American Muslims; Upholding American Values," which describes itself as "a campaign of national faith-based organizations and religious denominations to promote tolerance and put an end to anti-Muslim bigotry." In a March 2010 statement, the group wrote that
"As American religious leaders, we share a deep sense of obligation to call upon our fellow citizens to treat each other with compassion and honesty, and to foster an ethical commitment to bedrock American values such as pluralism and religious freedom, mutuality and respect—values also at the core of our religious traditions."
For similar reasons, he was an outspoken critic of the 2005 documentary film "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West
Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West
Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West, also called Obsession, is a 2005 documentary film about the perceived threat of radical Islam to Western civilization. Using extensive Arab television footage it claims to give an 'insider's view' of the hatred preached by radicals to incite global...
," which he described as "a thinly-veiled call for disparagement and distrust of all Muslims."
Moline participated in the opening prayer service for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 2009 and 2011, representing the Jewish community at the request of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
and Speaker-elect John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
, respectively. In March 2011 he spoke at a special meeting of the "Black and Jewish Members of Congress Breakfast."
Political activist
In 2009, after years of trying to persuade the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly that the movement needed a stronger presence in the nation’s capital, the group made the decision to appoint a Director of Public Policy, turning to Moline to serve in that position as a volunteer. He had argued that other Jewish movements had such a presence, such as the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the Orthodox UnionOrthodox Union
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America , more popularly known as the Orthodox Union , is one of the oldest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. It is best known for its kosher food preparation supervision service...
’s Institute for Public Affairs, both of which are “active players in the capital.” Understanding that there is a “diverse RA membership behind him and an even more diverse population of Conservative Jews,” Moline’s responsibilities were expected to focus on “broad consensus positions of the movement and on laying out broad principles based on Conservative thinking.” However, as one Washington Jewish Week
Washington Jewish Week
Washington Jewish Week is an award-winning independent community weekly newspaper whose logo reads, "Serving the nation's capital and the greater Washington Jewish community since 1930." Its main office is located in Rockville, Maryland, a Maryland suburb of the District of Columbia.Over the...
article noted, “… he is also an experienced Washington player; a lot of the new Conservative movement’s impact may be under the radar with Moline at the helm.” Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg, then President of the Rabbinical Assembly, praised the choice of Moline for the new position, saying that “Rabbi Moline is that perfect combination of smart, well-connected, socially-savvy and thoroughly conversant on the issues of the day. In addition, he knows the ins and outs of the Washington world. His appointment ushers in an exciting new era for the Rabbinical Assembly and Conservative Judaism.”
In 2010, Moline spoke to his friend Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama...
, the White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
, about the Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
administration's perceived lack of friendliness toward Israel. As a result of that conversation, Moline initiated two “intimate White House meetings” between the White House and “a carefully selected slate of 15 rabbis from across the country representing the Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
, Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
and Conservative
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,...
streams.” Moline's notes on those meetings, shared with the larger community by some of the participants, have become the official historical record of this initiative.
Prior to the election, Moline had worked to support Obama's campaign, helping to organize "Rabbis for Obama", and serving as one of its vice-chairs—stressing, along with all other rabbis involved in the effort, that he was working as a private citizen, not in any official capacity representing others.
After the election, Moline attended the "Obama family's private church service" which took place prior to the official inauguration.
In December 2010, Moline was one of the religious leaders who urged the Senate to pass the DREAM Act
DREAM Act
The DREAM Act is an American legislative proposal first introduced in the Senate on August 1, 2001 and most recently reintroduced there on May 11, 2011....
(Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors), stating that "We have a special responsibility to these young people who wish no longer to be resident strangers but to take their place among us." In 2011, when the newly installed Republican leadership in the House of Representatives considered a number of bills to restrict abortion, Moline worked with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice was founded in 1973 by clergy and lay leaders from mainline denominations and faith traditions to provide interfaith support for the new constitutional right to privacy in decisions about abortion...
to ensure religious voices were heard. Moline said that, “Abortion, while rarely desirable, is sometimes necessary.... Jewish tradition believes that proper medical care is an essential aspect of human society, and that it should not be limited to people with exceptional resources.” Asked to comment on a White House decision to include a creche
Nativity scene
A nativity scene, manger scene, krippe, crèche, or crib, is a depiction of the birth of Jesus as described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke...
in the East Room of the White House, Moline said it was not appropriate in the "public areas of the White House...where every American should feel at home," as opposed to White House areas regarded as the presidential family's "private residence." "The display of a creche is a religious symbol," he said, "and is as out of place as a menorah. The issue has to do with what is consistent with the Constitution, and a creche in the East Room isn't.",
Speaker and writer
Moline is the author of two books, "Growing Up Jewish," a book of humor, and "Jewish Leadership and Heroism," a source book published by United Synagogue YouthUnited Synagogue Youth
United Synagogue Youth is the youth movement of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. USY operates in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The goal of the movement is to bring Jewish teenagers closer to Judaism and Israel through learning and social interaction...
. He writes about many subjects, including the issue of homosexuality and Jewish law, and is a frequent contributor to interfaith blogs such as "On Faith." He has advised and written for many public figures, including President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, for whom he composed much of his memorable eulogy for Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
. Moline visited the White House weekly to lead a Torah study
Torah study
Torah study is the study by Jewish people of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature and similar works, all of which are Judaism's religious texts...
session with Rahm Emanuel, when Emanuel was a political advisor in the Clinton administration.
Moline is a popular speaker, featured at sessions at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute
Brandeis-Bardin Institute
The Brandeis-Bardin Campus of American Jewish University is a Jewish retreat located in Simi Valley, California, USA. Formerly known as the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, it is used for nondenominational summer programs for children, teens and young adults....
, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is the primary organization of synagogues practicing Conservative Judaism in North America...
, United Jewish Communities
United Jewish Communities
The Jewish Federations of North America , is an American Jewish umbrella organization representing 157 Jewish Federations and the Network of Independent Communities, 400 smaller Jewish communities across North America. The JFNA was formed from the 1999 merger of the United Jewish Appeal, the...
, the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
, on radio and television broadcasts and in synagogues and Jewish Community Centers across the United States and Canada.
In addition to his serious work with the Jewish community, the larger interfaith community, and the nation’s leaders, he is also known for his sharp sense of humor. Referred to by Washington journalist James Besser as “one of the funniest rabbis around, ” Moline is the author of a well known Jewish parody of Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
’s “Who's on First?
Who's on First?
Who's on First? is a vaudeville comedy routine made most famous by Abbott and Costello. In Abbott and Costello's version, the premise of the routine is that Abbott is identifying the players on a baseball team to Costello, but their names and nicknames can be interpreted as non-responsive answers...
” Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
dialogue, known as “Abbott and Costello Learn Hebrew”. He is also the author of a humor column that used to be published in the The New York Jewish Week. His book, "Growing up Jewish," was written at the urging of a cousin who was a literary agent who appreciated his sense of humor, and thought the book would be a good follow-up to an earlier work, "Growing up Catholic." Moline, who grew up with a love for humor, said that he always took great pleasure from the knowledge that The Three Stooges were Jewish. However, he also described his appreciation for the role of humor in Jewish history, noting that "Jews have used humor to stay sane in a world in which they have so often been mistreated," and there is a possibility that one reason there were so many Jewish comedians is that outsiders have sometimes been willing to "play the clown" in order to be accepted.
Published works
- Growing Up Jewish (with Marcia Simha as illustrator), ISBN 978-0140098365
- Jewish Leadership and Heroism (with Jonah Layman as editor), ASIN: B000W2EPZM
Awards and honors
On February 7, 2008, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 366, commending Moline on his 20 years of service. In April 2010, JTS awarded him the “Gerson D. Cohen Rabbinic Leadership Award.” He was named the third most important pulpit rabbi in America (out of a list of 25) by NewsweekNewsweek
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...
in 2008, and one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America in 2010 and 2011.
External links
- Video: Religion and Ethics interview, January 29, 2010, Theological questions regarding natural disasters.
- Video: Religion and Ethics interview, February 13, 2009, Israeli elections and prospects for peace.
- http://interfaithradio.org/node/1094“Spiritual Voices” audio file, October 8, 2006, the shofarShofarA shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
in Jewish ritual.] - “Caring for our neighbor” interfaith conversation (video): participants include (in addition to Moline) Cardinal Roger Michael Mahony, Reverend Dean Reed, Sam Fulwood III and Angela Kelley.
- Video: on-line kick-off for “Fund for the future of our children…that our children may be peacemakers”
- Shalom TV interview with Moline about White House rabbinic meetings