Season 01, Episode 19: Shmuly Yanklowitz: The Soul of Jewish Social Justice

RIJ Podcast - Really Interesting Jews

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is currently President and Dean of Valley Beit Midrash. Rav Shmuly studied at the University of Texas as an undergraduate, Harvard University for a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Psychology, Yeshiva University for a second Master’s Degree in Jewish Philosophy, and at Columbia University for his Doctorate in Moral Development and Epistemology. He has taught as an instructor of moral philosophy at Barnard College and at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Shmuly was ordained as a Rabbi by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah as a Wexner Graduate Fellow. Rav Shmuly has served as a congregational rabbi and as a campus Senior Jewish Educator and Hillel Director of Jewish Life.

As a global social justice activist and educator, Shmuly has volunteered, taught, and staffed missions in five continents including Israel, Ghana, India, France, Thailand, El Salvador, Britain, Senegal, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Argentina, South Africa, and Haiti. Shmuly served at the World Economic Forum in Geneva and Davos, Switzerland as the rabbinic representative, a facilitator, and motivational speaker. Rav Shmuly is the Founder and President of Uri L’Tzedek, the Founder and CEO of The Shamayim V’Aretz Institute, and is the author of nine books.

We chat about the complexities of Jewish social justice, the tension between patience and impatience, and how we know when we’ve done enough good for the day.

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Episode notes:

Intro music: What Is My Lifespan, Noah Aronson/ Someday, Michelle Citrin

Outro music: One Voice, So Is Life – Dan Nichols, Rosalie Boxt, Ellen Dreskin, Josh Nelson

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