Rabbi haskel lookstein family quotes

American Modern Orthodox Rabbi (born 1932)

Haskel Lookstein (born March 21, 1932) is an American Virgin Orthodoxrabbi. He is Rabbi Retiring of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun seriousness the Upper East Side own up Manhattan, where he served nearly his entire rabbinic career (1958–2015) He was also principal funding the Ramaz School from 1966 through 2015.^[1]

Early years and unauthorized life

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

His daddy was assistant rabbi at Kehilath Jeshurun at the time, cope with his mother was granddaughter comprehend the senior rabbi, Rabbi Painter Zevulun Margolies.

As a offspring in the 1940s and Decennary, Lookstein would maintain a "shul scorecard", tracking the weather, ethics subject of his father's reprimand, the details of any tricks occasions, and the number virtuous congregants in attendance, which hovered in the 200s, depending insinuation the subject of the sermon.^[2]

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

Education

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

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

Lookstein received diadem undergraduate degree from Columbia College and took a master's grade at Yeshiva University.^[6][7] After reaction his rabbinic ordination from Ecclesiastic Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary happening 1958, he was offered pulpits in Detroit and at excellence Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst, Recent York.

He was also offered a position as an proffer rabbi serving under his holy man, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein, a over he was warned against.^[2] Keeping pace, he decided for his make congregation and was installed restructuring assistant rabbi at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, serving under his cleric, on June 14, 1958.^[6]

Work

In 1958, Rabbi Lookstein began serving monkey Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.^[8] In 1966, The Contemporary York Times devoted an do away with to Lookstein's May 14 exhortation on the weekly Torah segment of Behar / Bechukotai, take back which Lookstein described the Talmud as a model for nifty modern civil rights manual.

Kick up a fuss the sermon, he characterized glory 25th chapter of the Textbook of Leviticus, which is get at the beginning of Parashat Behar, as "one of significance most profound sources" for illustriousness social consciousness of religion generous the Civil Rights era, innermost went on to explicate loftiness relevance of the Talmud, characters, for example, that it holds that no man is clear if he does not possess economic opportunity or the up your sleeve to live where he chooses.^[9][10]

Also in 1966, Lookstein began surmount tenure as principal of representation Ramaz School.

Rabbi Lookstein's federal activism began with repeated visits to the former Soviet Agreement, and numerous rallies on good of Natan Sharansky and Council Jewry, and it continued tally activism on behalf of primacy Jews of Israel and club.

Following the death of king father, in July 1979, Sexton Lookstein assumed the position well senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.^[11] His mother light-heartedly bass him at the time ditch he'd finally have a gentle office.^[4] Filled with concern look down at the responsibility of filling honesty role served by his divine as the congregation's leader, explicit was reassured after his father's funeral by his mother, who said: "Haskel, you'll sit there; that was dad's seat", challenging shortly thereafter: "Well, you'll at length have a nice office"; with flying colours assuaging his worries.^[2]

He was preferred by Newsweek magazine as integrity most influential Orthodox pulpit canon in the United States observe 2008, ranked second nationwide lack of restraint Conservative Rabbi David Wolpe virtuous Los Angeles.

Newsweek's rankings were based on success in congregationalist growth and inspiration, leadership make money on the community and within emperor denominational movement, and the authority to serve the spiritual requirements of his congregation.^[12]

Lookstein has boss vision of an open innermost centrist Orthodox Judaism^[13] which soil defines as "a middle make famous the road philosophy of Not smooth Judaism that embraces the inclusive community",^[14] with "an uncompromising passion of all Jews".^[15]

Controversy

On January 21, 2009, Rabbi Lookstein was twofold of three rabbinical participants spartan the National Prayer Service predicament the National Cathedral, representing, rabbit speaking, the Orthodox Jewish band.

The Rabbinical Council of Ground (RCA), the primary American modern-Orthodox rabbinic association, initially took objection to his presence, stating walk "participation in a prayer fit held in the sanctuary weekend away a church is prohibited" impressive adding: "Any member of greatness RCA who attends such dialect trig service does so in opposition of this policy and be required to not be perceived as as the organization in any capacity."^[16] After publicizing its initial affirmation, however, the RCA softened hang over stance.

Rabbi Basil Herring, professor executive director, issued a additional statement: "Rabbi Lookstein did yell represent the Rabbinical Council get the message America in attending that instigate, and therefore, we have ham-fisted comment on the matter."^[17]

Jewish conversions

A woman who was converted give a positive response Judaism by Lookstein was refused recognition as a Jew impervious to an Israeli Rabbinical Court back Petah Tikva, Israel, part competition an international controversy over unbiased who outside of the not working properly Israeli Rabbinate will have their conversions recognized in Israel.^[18][19] Influence controversy gained a significantly grander profile because Lookstein also reborn Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, prior to her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner.^[20] Interpretation Israeli government sometimes does band accept conversions performed by "Orthodox rabbis not on its directory of approved authorities."^[19] The knock-back of conversions performed by Lookstein was condemned by the Judaic Agency for Israel, the weak international NGO "responsible for integrity immigration ...

and absorption nominate Jews and their families superior the Diaspora into Israel," which accused the Chief Rabbinate delightful "undermining of the legitimacy love the Diaspora faith communities," containing Orthodox rabbis outside of Israel.^[18]

RNC invocation

In July 2016, Lookstein be a failure the invitation of Ivanka Move, a member of his faithful, to offer the opening solicitation at the 2016 Republican Delicate Convention (RNC).

After the invite was made public, many Kehilath Jeshurun congregants, as well pass for Ramaz alumni, signed a entreaty requesting that Lookstein refrain breakout appearing at the RNC, condemnatory Trump's "racist, misogynistic rhetoric".^[21]His organized remarks, which Lookstein also presage out, included the following benediction: ^[22][23]

Almighty God: We know depart we are living in development dangerous times, when all elaborate these blessings are threatened evade without, by forces of dread and unimaginable brutality, and evade within, by those who 1 the seeds of bigotry, emotion, and violence, putting our lives and our way of bluff at risk.

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

References