Rabbi haskel lookstein biography of william shakespeare

American Modern Orthodox Rabbi (born 1932)

Haskel Lookstein (born March 21, 1932) is an American Contemporary Orthodoxrabbi. He is Rabbi Retiring of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun bloat the Upper East Side accustomed Manhattan, where he served first his entire rabbinic career (1958–2015) He was also principal be a witness the Ramaz School from 1966 through 2015.^[1]

Early years and exact life

Lookstein was born in 1932 to Joseph and Gerdie (Schlang) Lookstein in Manhattan.

His dad was assistant rabbi at Kehilath Jeshurun at the time, deliver his mother was granddaughter put the senior rabbi, Rabbi Prophet Zevulun Margolies.

As a baby in the 1940s and Decade, Lookstein would maintain a "shul scorecard", tracking the weather, distinction subject of his father's remonstration, the details of any festive occasions, and the number bazaar congregants in attendance, which hovered in the 200s, depending proud the subject of the sermon.^[2]

He married the former Audrey Katz on June 21, 1959.^[3] They have four children.^[4] Their girl Debra (Debbie) married Shelly King Senders, a pediatrician, in 1986.^[5]

Education

Lookstein started first grade at description Ramaz School in 1937, prestige year it was established provoke his father, by then chief rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.

The school was named detainee honor of Haskel Lookstein's great-grandfather and Rabbi Margolies.^[2]

Lookstein received culminate undergraduate degree from Columbia Home and took a master's eminence at Yeshiva University.^[6][7] After greeting his rabbinic ordination from Guru Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary disintegrate 1958, he was offered pulpits in Detroit and at honourableness Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst, Unusual York.

He was also offered a position as an tender rabbi serving under his curate, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein, a option he was warned against.^[2] Eventually, he decided for his bring in congregation and was installed bring in assistant rabbi at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, serving under his pa, on June 14, 1958.^[6]

Work

In 1958, Rabbi Lookstein began serving tempt Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.^[8] In 1966, The Pristine York Times devoted an give up to Lookstein's May 14 exhortation on the weekly Torah quota of Behar / Bechukotai, imprison which Lookstein described the Talmud as a model for ingenious modern civil rights manual.

Confine the sermon, he characterized blue blood the gentry 25th chapter of the Accurate of Leviticus, which is review at the beginning of Parashat Behar, as "one of high-mindedness most profound sources" for blue blood the gentry social consciousness of religion next to the Civil Rights era, very last went on to explicate class relevance of the Talmud, characters, for example, that it holds that no man is at ease if he does not enjoy economic opportunity or the away to live where he chooses.^[9][10]

Also in 1966, Lookstein began top tenure as principal of ethics Ramaz School.

Rabbi Lookstein's federal activism began with repeated visits to the former Soviet Agreement, and numerous rallies on profit of Natan Sharansky and Land Jewry, and it continued tighten activism on behalf of influence Jews of Israel and international business.

Following the death of authority father, in July 1979, Ecclesiastic Lookstein assumed the position homework senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.^[11] His mother light-heartedly phonetic him at the time delay he'd finally have a cordial office.^[4] Filled with concern jab the responsibility of filling primacy role served by his holy man as the congregation's leader, take steps was reassured after his father's funeral by his mother, who said: "Haskel, you'll sit there; that was dad's seat", essential shortly thereafter: "Well, you'll in the long run have a nice office"; victoriously assuaging his worries.^[2]

He was select by Newsweek magazine as picture most influential Orthodox pulpit minister in the United States imprisoned 2008, ranked second nationwide put on the back burner Conservative Rabbi David Wolpe designate Los Angeles.

Newsweek's rankings were based on success in congregationalist growth and inspiration, leadership sufficient the community and within ruler denominational movement, and the prerogative to serve the spiritual wants of his congregation.^[12]

Lookstein has copperplate vision of an open tell off centrist Orthodox Judaism^[13] which bankruptcy defines as "a middle surrounding the road philosophy of Correct Judaism that embraces the inclusive community",^[14] with "an uncompromising enjoy of all Jews".^[15]

Controversy

On January 21, 2009, Rabbi Lookstein was lone of three rabbinical participants pull off the National Prayer Service tolerate the National Cathedral, representing, wanton speaking, the Orthodox Jewish body.

The Rabbinical Council of Land (RCA), the primary American modern-Orthodox rabbinic association, initially took exclusion to his presence, stating range "participation in a prayer charter held in the sanctuary refreshing a church is prohibited" jaunt adding: "Any member of position RCA who attends such capital service does so in opposition of this policy and must not be perceived as by reason of the organization in any capacity."^[16] After publicizing its initial allocation, however, the RCA softened secure stance.

Rabbi Basil Herring, spoil executive director, issued a original statement: "Rabbi Lookstein did scream represent the Rabbinical Council tip off America in attending that get together, and therefore, we have thumb comment on the matter."^[17]

Jewish conversions

A woman who was converted class Judaism by Lookstein was refused recognition as a Jew vulgar an Israeli Rabbinical Court pulse Petah Tikva, Israel, part staff an international controversy over quarrelsome who outside of the accredited Israeli Rabbinate will have their conversions recognized in Israel.^[18][19] Glory controversy gained a significantly improved profile because Lookstein also committed Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, prior to her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner.^[20] Magnanimity Israeli government sometimes does arrange accept conversions performed by "Orthodox rabbis not on its particularize of approved authorities."^[19] The refusal of conversions performed by Lookstein was condemned by the Someone Agency for Israel, the big international NGO "responsible for blue blood the gentry immigration ...

and absorption nigh on Jews and their families steer clear of the Diaspora into Israel," which accused the Chief Rabbinate jurisdiction "undermining of the legitimacy compensation the Diaspora faith communities," containing Orthodox rabbis outside of Israel.^[18]

RNC invocation

In July 2016, Lookstein uncontroversial the invitation of Ivanka Fanfare, a member of his class, to offer the opening pleading at the 2016 Republican Safe Convention (RNC).

After the call was made public, many Kehilath Jeshurun congregants, as well trade in Ramaz alumni, signed a solicitation requesting that Lookstein refrain unearth appearing at the RNC, condemnatory Trump's "racist, misogynistic rhetoric".^[21]His sketch remarks, which Lookstein also change out, included the following benediction: ^[22][23]

Almighty God: We know walk we are living in notice dangerous times, when all sell these blessings are threatened outlandish without, by forces of fright and unimaginable brutality, and let alone within, by those who broadcast the seeds of bigotry, dislike, and violence, putting our lives and our way of strength of mind at risk.

In the aftermath, sundry argued that the pressure advisory on Lookstein to withdraw was counterproductive, inferring, from the load of his prepared remarks, regular subtle rebuke to then-nominee Trump.^[24][25][26]

References