Category Archives: Rabbis

Why Aren’t Most Jews Orthodox?

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Luke Ford

I ask an Orthodox rabbi: “Why do you think most Jews are not Orthodox? Is the principal obstacle difficulty or expense or intellectual or moral? And what did you think of the Newsweek top 50 rabbis list?” The rabbi replied: … Continue reading →

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Newsweek’s List Of Top 50 Rabbis

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Luke Ford

Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz responds to my email inquiry: “I struggle with this list, some of it I can’t relate to. I don’t really have a feel for how much power and influence Krinsky has. Every Chabad seems to be an … Continue reading →

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Newsweek’s List Of America’s Top 50 Rabbis

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Luke Ford

Historian Marc B. Shapiro responded to my inquiry: “I am not sure what they mean by “important”. Is important the same as influential? They have many of the big ones, but are also missing some. How about the Satmar Rebbes, … Continue reading →

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How To Write Histories Of Great Rabbinic Sages

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Luke Ford

In a lecture on rabbinic biographies for Torah in Motion, history professor Marc B. Shapiro says: It was two of my publications that brought this issue front and center in the Orthodox world… I wrote a doctorate on Rabbi Yechiel … Continue reading →

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Rabbis Looking To Get On In Life

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his second lecture on R. Meir Simcha of Dvinsk for Torah in Motion, history professor Marc B. Shapiro says: In 1906, Rav Meir Simcha was asked by the leaders of Jerusalem to assist Rav Shmuel Salant as rav of … Continue reading →

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