The Jewish Journal takes a snide shot at Rabbi Boteach in its Calendar section selection for April 28: "…an Orthodox rabbi whose self-proclaimed Eleventh Commandment is ‘Thou Shalt do anything for publicity and recognition’…"
Here’s the 1996 article that pioneered the slam.
In a world where celebrities release sex tapes for publicity, what awful things has Shmuley done for fame? I’ve been following his career for more than 15 years. What’s he done that is so terrible? He’s written good books and delivered provocative. What’s so terrible? What has he done that has demeaned himself or Judaism? OK, so he said that knowing Michael Jackson has made him a better father. That is easy to mock. Shmuley is easy to mock. But the rabbi keeps producing quality work, which is more than can be said for the Jewish Journal.
The best vehicles to fame for regular folk are writing and charity. The rabbi does both well and gets the fame he deserves.
PS. I was wrong to knock the Jewish Journal for this. Rabbi Boteach says this about himself: "Thou Shalt do anything for publicity and recognition."
From Nessah Synagogue: "Join Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, host of TLC’s "Shalom in the Home" and author if the #1 relationship book "The Kosher Sutra," and Patti Stanger, host of Bravo TV’s "Millionaire Matchmaker" and author of the #1 dating book in America "Become Your Own Matchmaker" as they debate the age-old myth around money and love."
From the 2007 Fatherhood Awards (Shmuley’s dad Yoav Botach on the left):
Rabbi Shmuley accepts the Fatherhood Award, accompanied by Roland Warren, President of National Fatherhood Initiative; John Segal, Chairman of the National Fatherhood Initiative; Michael Haynes, National Fatherhood Initiative Board Member and Director of Player and Employee Development of the NFL; and Leon Harris, Anchor at ABC7/WJLA Washington.
