# Shmuly Yanklowitz

Shmuly Yanklowitz (born 1981) is an American rabbi and activist. In March 2012 and March 2013, Newsweek listed Yanklowitz as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America.

## Educational and professional background

Yanklowitz was ordained as an Orthodox rabbi at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, received a second rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the chief rabbi of Efrat, and a third rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo of Jerusalem. He earned a master's degree at Harvard University in Leadership and Psychology and a second master's degree in Jewish Philosophy at Yeshiva University. Yanklowitz earned a doctorate from Columbia University in Epistemology and Moral Development and has taught seminars at UCLA School of Law and Barnard College.
Yanklowitz worked in corporate and non-profit consulting and was the director of Panim Judaism, Activism and Mitzvah work(JAM) in Washington, D.C., training others in leadership and advocacy. While in rabbinical school, Yanklowitz served at four different Orthodox congregations. Yanklowitz served as Senior Jewish Educator and Director of Jewish Life at UCLA Hillel from 2010 to 2012 following his ordination. Yanklowitz has served as a delegate to the World Economic Forum. In July 2013, he became the executive director of Valley Beit Midrash (VBM) in Phoenix, Arizona, and later assumed the roles of president and dean. Yanklowitz expanded VBM from a local initiative to a national organization, establishing a new hub in Denver, Colorado around August 2022 according to Boulder Jewish News. As the leader of VBM, Yanklowitz has promoted religious pluralism.
A film crew followed Yanklowitz for over a year to produce a PBS documentary named The Calling, a series that follows seven Muslims, Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Jews as they train to become professional clergy. The program aired in the United States in December 2010.

## Activism

Yanklowitz is the founder of multiple nonprofit organizations that engage in activism:
* He founded Uri L'Tzedek, an Orthodox social justice organization. In May 2009, Yanklowitz and the Uri L'Tzedek team launched the Tav HaYosher, an ethical seal for Kosher restaurants that has certified hundreds of restaurants around North America. Yanklowitz has promoted deeper Orthodox commitment to universalistic causes and involvement in service-learning missions.
* He founded SHAMAYIM: Jewish Animal Welfare (previously known as the Shamayim V'Aretz Institute), an animal welfare and spiritual activism center.
* He founded YATOM: The Jewish Foster & Adoption Network.
* He founded Torat Chayim, a "progressive-minded" Orthodox rabbinic association.
* In 2012, Yanklowitz co-founded "Jews for Human Rights in Syria" and has worked closely with Syrian refugees, including hosting new refugee families annually at his home for Thanksgiving.
* Yanklowitz founded and leads the Jewish social justice group Arizona Jews for Justice.
In 2015, Yanklowitz donated his kidney to a stranger. He has advocated for a regulated organ market, cadaveric organ donation, as well as for living kidney donation.
Yanklowitz has organized in the Jewish community for the abolition of the death penalty. Yanklowitz's organization YATOM provides "educational programs and provides small grants" to families in the adoption/fostering process. Yanklowitz and the Arizona Jews for Justice team launched a mobile cooling van, with the support of the City of Phoenix, to give relief to individuals experiencing homelessness during extreme heat. Yanklowitz and the Arizona Jews for Justice team added the "Let's be Better Humans" humanitarian bus to their outreach approach. Yanklowitz has worked to support people recovering from addiction.

### Asylum seekers and refugee relief

Yanklowitz has advocated for refugees and asylum seekers at the Mexico-United States border, calling the need to assist asylum seekers a "spiritual revolution". Yanklowitz is critical of what he claims is the mistreatment of asylum seekers. Through Uri L'Tzedek and Arizona Jews for Justice, Yanklowitz and partners have raised awareness on the issue and have led campaigns to collect supplies for asylum seekers released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yanklowitz launched The Mask Project, which employs immigrant mothers to make masks for populations such as the Navajo Nation and people experiencing homelessness.
Yanklowitz has led initiatives to support Afghan refugees.

### Jewish veganism

Yanklowitz is vegan. Under Yanklowitz's direction, the Shamayim: Jewish Animal Welfare has led the Synagogue Vegan Challenge since the Summer of 2017.
Yanklowitz has written extensively on questions of Jewish veganism and vegetarianism. He has argued that Jewish animal ethics can encompass both speciest frameworks and more egalitarian frameworks. Yanklowitz has opposed the shackle-and-hoist method of slaughter.
Yanklowitz was featured in the 2019 documentary A Prayer for Compassion about veganism and spirituality.

### Written works

Yanklowitz has published over 25 books.

## Personal life

Yanklowitz is married, has four biological children, has fostered children, and lives in Scottsdale. Yanklowitz himself underwent an Orthodox conversion to Judaism, as he is the son of a Jewish father and a Christian mother. He is an advocate for greater inclusion of Jewish converts and for the inclusion of interfaith families.

## Recognition

In 2022, Yanklowitz was recognized as one of the top faith leaders to watch by the Center for American Progress. In addition,The Forward named Yanklowitz one of the 50 most influential Jews of 2016 and also one of the most inspiring rabbis in America. In 2022, Yanklowitz was honored by The Leonard I. Beerman Foundation For Peace and Justice, alongside Dolores Huerta. In 2020, Yanklowitz was named a "Hero of Dialogue" by the international group KAICIID. Yanklowitz spoke at the White House Passover Seder and has been a regular at the White House Chanukah events.