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Jonathan Rosenblatt

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Rabbi
Jonathan I. Rosenblatt
Senior Rabbi, Riverdale Jewish Center
Personal
BornAugust 31, 1956
NationalityAmerican
ChildrenFour
DenominationModern Orthodox
Notable work(s)Bridge-building efforts among Jewish denominations, Support for Oslo peace process
Alma materJohns Hopkins University, Columbia University, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
OccupationRabbi, teacher, lecturer, counselor
RelativesGrandson of Rabbi Samuel Rosenblatt, great-grandson of Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt


Jonathan I. Rosenblatt (born August 31, 1956) is an American Modern Orthodox rabbi, teacher, lecturer, and counselor.

Biography

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A native of Baltimore, Rosenblatt served for more than thirty years as the Senior Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center in The Bronx, New York. Under his leadership the RJC became the largest "teaching synagogue" in the country, through its Rabbinic and Pre-rabbinic internship programs.[1] Rabbi Rosenblatt is known for his work in bridging the gaps that divide Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and secular Jews, and for actively supporting the Oslo peace process in the Middle East.[2] He has lectured widely in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Israel and is often quoted on topics of concern to the Jewish community.

Rosenblatt earned a BA and MA from Johns Hopkins University in Comparative Literature and a PhD from Columbia University in Modern British Literature. He studied in Israel at Yeshivat Har Etzion and was ordained by the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.

Rosenblatt is the great-grandson of celebrated cantor Yossele Rosenblatt,[3] and the grandson of Rabbi Samuel Rosenblatt, founding rabbi of the Beth Tefiloh congregation in Baltimore and pioneer of the Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School.[4] Rabbi Rosenblatt and his wife have four children.

In November 2012, it was reported that Rosenblatt was a candidate to replace Jonathan Sacks as the Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue.[5][6][7] Ultimately the position went to Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.[8]

In February 2014, Rosenblatt delivered a lecture in his synagogue explaining his opposition to SAR High School's decision to allow two of its female students to don tefillin (phylacteries) in morning prayers.[9] Rabbi Tully Harcsztark, the principal of SAR High School, attended the lecture.[10] Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens noted that Rabbi Rosenblatt delivered a "stunning master class in how to disagree with respect and love."[11] The talk was later uploaded to YouTube.[12]

In June 2014, Rosenblatt was honored at the Riverdale Jewish Center's 60th Anniversary Dinner in celebration of his thirtieth year of service to the congregation.[13][14] The dinner program included congratulatory video addresses by Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, the widow of Rabbi Yehuda Amital, President Richard Joel and Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, among others.[15]

In his June 11, 2014 speech to Congress, Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) said

Anchored by his wife Tzipporah, Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenblatt has been at the helm of the RJC for nearly 30 years, and their guidance can be felt throughout the lives of those whom they have touched...My connection to the Rosenblatts is personal. Rabbi Rosenblatt is a dear friend who was a great comfort to both me and my family after my mother passed away. Rabbi Rosenblatt is truly one of the kindest and most sensitive people whom I have met. He has never proven otherwise, in each and every encounter we have had. The Riverdale Jewish Center is fortunate to have Rabbi Rosenblatt at the helm of the Shul, and I am fortunate to call him my friend.[16]

In November 2014, Rosenblatt's brother-in-law, Rabbi Moshe Twersky, was murdered by Palestinian terrorists in a synagogue in Jerusalem.[17]

In May 2015, the New York Times published a piece about Rosenblatt's history (in the 1980s and 1990s) of inviting teenage boys to play squash or racquetball often accompanied by sitting in a sauna naked together.[18] There were no allegations of sexual touching or criminal conduct.[19]

On February 25, 2016, Rosenblatt announced his plans to step aside from his role as Senior Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center.[20] A representative for the rabbi explained "Rabbi Rosenblatt is eager to leave a positive legacy for his years of service to the Riverdale Jewish Center...He is stepping down because he would like to see the community grow and he thinks in order for that to happen [the synagogue] needs a fresh start."[21][22] He purportedly took a new position as a counselor at Scarsdale Integrative Medicine in Scarsdale, New York.[23] However, a person affiliated with Scarsdale Integrative Medicine, Su Y. Heo, explained that Rosenblatt actually "was never with [Scarsdale Integrative Medicine]" and that he "was subleasing a place so he can see his own patients . . . . for a month, but he is no longer subleasing with us."[24]

References

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  1. ^ "A New Synagogue Concept: The Teaching Shul- 3 Questions with Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt of Riverdale Jewish Center". YouthCon - Informal & Experiential Jewish Educators Convention. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  2. ^ Freedman, Samuel G. (2009-05-29). "Two Rabbis Find They're Separated Only by Doctrine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  3. ^ Staff, JLNJ. "RJC: Rabbi Rosenblatt to Step Down". The Jewish Link of Bronx, Westchester & Connecticut. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  4. ^ "Beth Tfiloh ~ History". www.bethtfiloh.com. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  5. ^ "Hail to the chief: Americans eyed in search for Britain's top rabbi". NBC News. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  6. ^ "As new chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis faces a fractious British Jewry - The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle". www.jewishchronicle.org. Archived from the original on 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  7. ^ "The Next Chief Rabbi of Great Britain". Tablet Magazine. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  8. ^ "Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is installed as UK chief rabbi - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  9. ^ Lebens, Dr Samuel (2014-03-10). "Women and Tefillin: Address It; Don't Suppress It". Haaretz. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  10. ^ Lebens, Dr Samuel (2014-03-10). "Women and Tefillin: Address It; Don't Suppress It". Haaretz. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  11. ^ Lebens, Dr Samuel (2014-03-10). "Women and Tefillin: Address It; Don't Suppress It". Haaretz. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  12. ^ "Reflections on the Tefillin Debate - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  13. ^ "RIVERDALE JEWISH CENTER SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY DINNER". exploredoc.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  14. ^ "Congressional Record Extensions of Remarks Articles". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  15. ^ Riverdale Jewish Center (2014-06-10), RJC 60th Anniversary Dinner 2014, archived from the original on 2021-12-20, retrieved 2016-03-30
  16. ^ "Congressional Record Extensions of Remarks Articles". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  17. ^ Ohlheiser, Michelle Boorstein, Abby; Larimer, Sarah (2014-11-18). "American victims of synagogue attack include rabbi from 'family of princes'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-03-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Newman, Andy; Otterman, Sharon (29 May 2015). "Debate over the Rabbi and the Sauna". The New York Times.
  19. ^ "DA found no criminal conduct by Rabbi Rosenblatt". The Riverdale Press. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  20. ^ "Deal Set For Embattled Riverdale Rabbi To Step Down". The Jewish Week | Connecting The World To Jewish News, Culture & Opinion. Archived from the original on 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  21. ^ Newman, Andy (25 February 2016). "Bronx Rabbi Who Had Sauna Chats is Quitting". The New York Times.
  22. ^ "'Sauna' Rabbi Stepping Down; Or Is He?". The Jewish Week | Connecting The World To Jewish News, Culture & Opinion. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  23. ^ Capote, Anthony. "Post-scandal, rabbi finds new job in Scarsdale". Riverdale Press. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  24. ^ YouTube (11 August 2016). "'Employer' of Disgraced Sauna Rabbi Denies He Ever Worked There". The Forward. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
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