Nachum Shifren
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Nachum Shifren, also known as the surfing rabbi
, is an Orthodox Lubavitcher Chassidic
rabbi and accomplished surfer. Active in conservative politics, Shifren was the candidate in 2010 of the California Republican Party
in the California state senate's 26th district.
, Shifren grew up in the San Fernando Valley
, where he learned to surf as a youth. He worked as a lifeguard
in Malibu as a young man, a time in his life when he was not religious. He began his path to religiosity when he met an Australian rabbi who liked to bodysurf and performed sacraments at the beach. At the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War
, Shifren went to Israel to volunteer on a kibbutz
, and in 1977 he emigrated to Israel
. Shifren served in the Israeli Defense Forces and received a degree in Combat Fitness Training at the Wingate Institute
for Sports in Netanya
, Israel.
Shifren received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California
of Santa Barbara
in Spanish and German Literature. He continued graduate studies in West Germany at the University of Goettingen. Shifren is fluent in Spanish, German, Hebrew, and Yiddish. He attended Toras Chayim Yeshiva
in Jerusalem and Yeshivat Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar Chabad
, Israel, where in 1990 he was ordained to the rabbinate. While studying in Israel, Shifren lived in the Kfar Tapuah settlement on the West Bank
. When he returned to the United States, Shifren worked as a teacher in Los Angeles.
.
In October, 2010, he traveled to England to speak at a rally. In his speech, he called Muslims "dogs" and told the EDL that "[h]istory will be recorded that on this day, read by our children for eternity, one group lit the spark to liberate us from the oppressors of our two governments and the leftist, fifth column, quisling press, and that it was the EDL which started the liberation of England from evil."
He leads annual "Kosher Surf Camp" trips to Costa Rica
. He has written two books, Surfing Rabbi: A Kabbalistic Quest for Soul and Kill Your Teacher: Corruption And Racism in Los Angeles City Schools. A movie based on Shifren is currently in development.
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...
, is an Orthodox Lubavitcher Chassidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
rabbi and accomplished surfer. Active in conservative politics, Shifren was the candidate in 2010 of the California Republican Party
California Republican Party
The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....
in the California state senate's 26th district.
Biography
A native of southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Shifren grew up in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, where he learned to surf as a youth. He worked as a lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
in Malibu as a young man, a time in his life when he was not religious. He began his path to religiosity when he met an Australian rabbi who liked to bodysurf and performed sacraments at the beach. At the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, Shifren went to Israel to volunteer on a kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
, and in 1977 he emigrated to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Shifren served in the Israeli Defense Forces and received a degree in Combat Fitness Training at the Wingate Institute
Wingate Institute
The Wingate Institute is a sports training facility located south of Netanya, Israel, established in 1957. Named after Orde Wingate, the facility serves as the host facility for numerous Israeli national teams as well as a military training base....
for Sports in Netanya
Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
, Israel.
Shifren received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
in Spanish and German Literature. He continued graduate studies in West Germany at the University of Goettingen. Shifren is fluent in Spanish, German, Hebrew, and Yiddish. He attended Toras Chayim Yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in Jerusalem and Yeshivat Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar Chabad
Kfar Chabad
Kfar Chabad is a Chabad-Lubavitch village in central Israel. Located between Beit Dagan and Lod, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lod Valley Regional Council. In 2007 it had a population of 5,100.-History:...
, Israel, where in 1990 he was ordained to the rabbinate. While studying in Israel, Shifren lived in the Kfar Tapuah settlement on the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. When he returned to the United States, Shifren worked as a teacher in Los Angeles.
Far right links
Shifren has been reported to have links with far right groups in Europe and is known to have marched with the far-right EDLEnglish Defence League
The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK. The EDL uses street marches to protest against Islamic extremism...
.
In October, 2010, he traveled to England to speak at a rally. In his speech, he called Muslims "dogs" and told the EDL that "[h]istory will be recorded that on this day, read by our children for eternity, one group lit the spark to liberate us from the oppressors of our two governments and the leftist, fifth column, quisling press, and that it was the EDL which started the liberation of England from evil."
Surfing Rabbi
Numerous print and broadcast media have done stories about Shifren and his "Surfing Rabbi" persona. He founded Jewish Surfers International and the Surf & Soul newsletter. He frequently uses surfing imagery to make religious points. "There's no way a skier can get the same connection with the Creator," Shifren told Salon in 1999. "The ocean is the first act of creation, while snow is not an act of creation. Skiers don't have the mountain chasing them, but the mountain of a wave chases surfers. They struggle against currents as they ride waves that have been around since time immemorial."He leads annual "Kosher Surf Camp" trips to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. He has written two books, Surfing Rabbi: A Kabbalistic Quest for Soul and Kill Your Teacher: Corruption And Racism in Los Angeles City Schools. A movie based on Shifren is currently in development.