Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., April 06, 2009 Nisan 12, 5769 | | Israel Time: 11:02 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 00:00 26/03/2007
List of 50 most influential U.S. rabbis raises eyebrows
By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent

NEW YORK, New York - The top ten places in a list of America's 50 most influential rabbis include four Orthodox rabbis, three Reform rabbis and three Conservative rabbis, but the rankings have raised eyebrows as to the criteria used for the rankings.

The list, a first-ever effort to rank U.S. rabbis by spheres of influence, was compiled by Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton, Newscorp's Gary Ginsberg and Jay Sanderson of JTN Productions.

The three used a system based on points: Are the rabbis known nationally/internationally? (20 points) Do they have a media presence? (10 points) Are they leaders within their communities? (10 points) Are they considered leaders in Judaism or within their movements? (10 points) Size of their constituency? (10 points) Do they have political/social influence? (20 points) Have they made an impact on Judaism in their career? (10 points) Have they made a "greater" impact? (10 points)
Advertisement
The list, reported in this week's issue of Newsweek, does not mention weighing the rabbis' knowledge of Torah or halakha (Jewish religious law) and its sources. The argument for choosing the founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Marvin Hier, to lead the list is his association with "almost every world leader, journalist or Hollywood studio head."

Lynton, Ginsberg and Sanderson do not believe their system is scientific. However, with only three exceptions, all the rabbis asked for comment called the list objective before it was published.

The No. 2 slot on the list is held by Yehuda Krinsky, former aide to Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson and head of the Chabad movement's emissary program. Krinsky is not a practicing rabbi but Lynton and his friends justify his high ranking because he "truly built a shul on every corner and brought the Chabad movement mainstream prominence."

But a more controversial No. 4 is Yehuda Berg, founder of the Kabbalah Center in Los Angeles.

Rabbis and powerbrokers asked to comment on the list yesterday were skeptical. "How can you put Reform movement leader Rabbi Eric Yoffie, a religious figure esteemed by close to a million members of the movement, in twelfth place?" one Reform rabbi asked.

An Orthodox rabbi ridiculed a list that ranks at 44th place former Yeshiva University chancellor Norman Lamm, considered the leader of modern Orthodoxy in America and a role model for thousands of Orthodox rabbis. Orthodox Rabbi Marc Schneier, founder of two major Long Island and Manhattan congregations and a leader in Jewish-Black reconciliation, also deserves to rank higher than 33.


Top 10 rabbis
1. Marvin Hier (Orthodox)
2. Yehuda Krinsky (Lubavitch)
3. Uri D. Herscher (Reform)
4. Yehuda Berg (Orthodox)
5. Harold Kushner (Conservative)
6. David Ellenson (Reform)
7. Robert Wexler (Conservative)
8. Irwin Kula (Conservative)
9. Shmuley Boteach (Orthodox
10. M. Bruce Lustig (Reform)
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
'Completely unfounded'
IDF chief says soldiers cleared of allegations of Gaza misconduct.
The rais names his price
Abbas lays down terms for peace talks with Netanyahu.
  1.   what about the rest...? 13:26  |  ravi 26/03/07
  2.   Rabbis 14:07  |  Choni Davidowitz 26/03/07
  3.   top 10 minus 2 15:07  |  peter 26/03/07
  4.   Rabbis 15:17  |  JK 26/03/07
  5.   #1 - seen enough already! 15:26  |  D Hirod 26/03/07
  6.   Top 10 Rabbi`s 15:28  |  Kirk 26/03/07
  7.   I hate to tell you this 15:28  |  margaret 26/03/07
  8.   WHERE IS RABBI MARTIN COHEN 15:38  |  Max Cohen 26/03/07
  9.   Orthodox don`t represent anyone 16:01  |  jessy 26/03/07
  10.   clarification 16:06  |  reader 26/03/07
  11.   ravi you have nothing much to say 16:31  |  dalit 26/03/07
  12.   Orthodox Rabbis 17:24  |  Sam 26/03/07
  13.   the Orthodox Rabbi Races 17:25  |  someoldyid 26/03/07
  14.   If you consider Mikey Lerner and Arthur Waskow "rabbis"... 17:28  |  MG 26/03/07
  15.   Marvin Hier ? 17:36  |  justajew 26/03/07
  16.   "Most Influential" among whom? Jews?, Non-Jews? 18:10  |  Dr. L. Brnd 26/03/07
  17.   top 50 18:16  |  mort sleuth 26/03/07
  18.   Max Cohen 19:07  |  Benlolo 26/03/07
  19.   orthodoxy 19:23  |  arnold 26/03/07
  20.   Maz Cohen 19:40  |  Benlolo 26/03/07
  21.   #12 Dear Sam 20:32  |  Reb Bahir 26/03/07
  22.   #18 Dear Max 20:38  |  Reb Bahir 26/03/07
  23.   50 Most Influential 21:09  |  Rabbi Arnold Stiebel 26/03/07
  24.   #20 Dear Reb Arnold 21:24  |  Reb Bahir 26/03/07
  25.   What is next ? 21:53  |  Frederique 26/03/07
  26.   "Rabbi" Arnold Steibel, get your Smicha first... 22:57  |  Scott 26/03/07
  27.   Next year let rabbis choose the Oscar winners! 23:34  |  Galuteus Maximus 26/03/07
  28.   no broads 00:01  |  DAVE 27/03/07
  29.   to #10 00:39  |  Marty Sandman 27/03/07
  30.   SAM 00:41  |  TOBIA 27/03/07
  31.   Hillel, Yochanan ben Zakkai and Akiba ben Joseph 01:22  |  Harry D 27/03/07
  32.   What is the difference? 02:12  |  Fatih 27/03/07
  33.   chabad does not welcome all-not patrilineals 02:55  |  jessy 27/03/07
  34.   Rabbi Shmuley Boteach 03:38  |  Gina 27/03/07
  35.   G-d`s rankings 04:19  |  RAB 27/03/07
  36.   Rabbi Marvin Hier ranked #1 - definitely in agreement 04:30  |  Smadar 27/03/07
  37.   Yudl Krinsky powerful 04:41  |  slegda 27/03/07
  38.   Yudl Krinsky powerful? 04:44  |  slegda 27/03/07
  39.   Rabbis with the most 05:05  |  Arye ben Yosef 27/03/07
  40.   who cares ???? 08:30  |  david 27/03/07
  41.   Offer 09:29  |  Good offer 27/03/07
  42.   Suddenly "influential" is a rabbi`s highest virtue? Why? 12:15  |  Fortuna Benmayor 27/03/07
  43.   Rabbi`s list 13:31  |  Mike 27/03/07
  44.   Mendel have idea 19:09  |  Mendel the Mean 27/03/07
  45.   And the award goes to..... 23:09  |  Dani 27/03/07
  46.   top rebbes 07:24  |  Dima 28/03/07
  47.   Most influential rabbis 13:09  |  Shimshon Isseroff 27/11/07
  48.   Most influential rabbis 13:22  |  Shimshon Arye Issero 27/11/07
  49.   Rabbis 16:57  |  RonH 05/04/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Air strike in Sudan
Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
Conflict in Gaza
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
09:23 'Assad urges U.S. to take active role in Mideast peace'
08:26 IDF chief: Troops' Gaza testimonies are completely unfounded
08:12 IDF commandos cited for not wounding innocents in battle
10:26 10 Israelis missing after 6.5-strong quake hits central Italy
10:57 Palestinian doctor who lost three kids in Gaza op tapped for Nobel Prize
10:39 Yeshiva student strips in T.A. store to protest chametz sale
11:13 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
08:40 Arab professor says booted from eatery over bartender's 'racist' T-shirt
08:36 Israeli invention may revolutionize skin cancer diagnosis
08:12 Obama arrives in Turkey on first official visit to Muslim country
05:35 'Warsaw Ghetto cigarette seller' dies aged 83
06:05 Communal seder makes a return in kibbutzim
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved