Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz to deliver Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture at Fairfield University

Rabbi Shmuly photo — Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, PhD,

The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at Fairfield University will host Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, PhD, a leading voice in contemporary Jewish social activism, on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. He will deliver the 29th annual Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture.

Yanklowitz’s talk is titled “A Moral Emergency: What Judaism Demands of Us Today.” It will take place in the Event Hall at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University. He will reflect on ethical leadership, justice, and the role of faith in addressing today’s most urgent social challenges, drawing on his work as a rabbi, educator, and community organizer.

Yanklowitz is president and dean of Valley Beit Midrash, founder and president of Uri L’Tzedek, founder and CEO of Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy, and founder and president of YATOM: The Jewish Foster & Adoption Network. His writing has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Atlantic.

He is the author of 19 books on Jewish spirituality, social justice and ethics, including three published by CCAR Press: “Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary” (2018), “The Book of Jonah: A Social Justice Commentary” (2020) and “The Book of Proverbs: A Social Justice Commentary” (2022). He has volunteered, staffed trips, and taught in countries including Israel, Ghana, India, France, Thailand, El Salvador, England, Senegal, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Argentina, South Africa, and Haiti. He has also served as a rabbinic representative, facilitator, and speaker at the World Economic Forum in Geneva and Davos, and his religious journey was featured in the Independent Lens/PBS documentary “The Calling.”

Yanklowitz holds a master’s degree in leadership and psychology from Harvard University, a master’s in Jewish philosophy from Yeshiva University, and a doctorate in moral development and epistemology from Columbia University. He received rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, along with two additional private ordinations in Israel. Newsweek has twice named him one of America’s top rabbis. In 2016, the Forward included him among the most inspiring rabbis in America and among the 50 most influential Jews, and he was selected for the Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship at the University of Cambridge.

The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies continues the vision of Carl and Dorothy Bennett. It fosters learning about Jewish history, ethical values, religious observances, and Israeli culture and politics, along with campus-wide awareness of them. The center aims to become the most active public-facing and academic center devoted to Judaic and Israel-related topics between New York and Boston.

The center is directed by Dr. Yaron Ayalon, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Tel Aviv University and his doctorate in Near Eastern studies from Princeton University in 2009. He is the author of two books, “Ottoman Jewry: Leadership, Charity, and Literacy” (Brill, 2024) and “Natural Disasters in the Ottoman Empire: Plague, Famine, and Other Misfortunes” (Cambridge, 2015). Before joining Fairfield, Ayalon directed the Yaschik/Arnold Jewish Studies program at the College of Charleston for more than five years.

“In these tumultuous times, as the atmosphere on so many college campuses—especially in the Northeast—is extremely challenging for Jewish students, Fairfield offers a safe and exciting space for rigorous learning, networking, and professional growth,” said Ayalon, whose long-term goal is to establish the Bennett Center’s prominence and lead with innovation.

The release doesn’t include ticket, registration, or admission details, so none are included.

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Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz to deliver Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture at Fairfield University