Seventeen JTS Alums Included in Newsweek's Annual List of the "50 Most Influential Rabbis in America"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Holly Martin
Office: (212) 678-8950
Email: homartin@jtsa.edu

May 3, 2011, New York, NY

Seventeen graduates of The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) have been named in the Daily Beast and Newsweek's annual list of the 50 most influential rabbis in America.

In its fifth year of publication, the list considers national and international recognition, political and social influence, media presence, leadership roles, constituency size, impact on Judaism, and influence beyond the Jewish community.

The 17 JTS alums included in the "50 Most Influential Rabbis in America" list for 2011 are:

Sharon Brous (RS '01), founding rabbi at IKAR, Los Angeles, California

Ed Feinstein (RS '81), senior rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom and faculty at Ziegler Rabbinical School, Los Angeles, California

Art Green (RS '67), dean of Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Newton Centre, Massachusetts

Shai Held (RS '99, GS '99), cofounder, Rosh Yeshiva, and chair in Jewish Thought at Mechon Hadar, New York, New York

Jill Jacobs (RS '03, GS '03), author, founding director of Ma'aseh: The Center for Jewish Social Justice Education, and executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights–North America, New York, New York

Elie Kaunfer (RS '07), cofounder, Rosh Yeshiva, and executive director at Mechon Hadar, New York, New York

Irwin Kula (Seminary College '78, RS '82), copresident of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and author, New York, New York

Naomi Levy (RS '89), rabbi and founder of Nashuva, Los Angeles, California

Roly Matalon (RS '86), rabbi at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, New York, New York

Jack Moline (RS '82), rabbi at Agudas Achim Congregation, Alexandria, Virginia

Rachel Nussbaum (RS '04, GS '04), executive director of Kavana, Seattle, Washington

Julie Schonfeld (RS '97), executive director of the Rabbinical Assembly, New York, New York

Ethan Tucker (PhD, GS '06), cofounder, dean, and chair of Jewish Law at Mechon Hadar, New York, New York

Gordon Tucker (RS '75), senior rabbi at Temple Israel Center, White Plains, New York

Burt Visotzky (RS '77, GS '83), Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious
Studies at JTS, New York, New York

Robert Wexler (RS '77), president of American Jewish University, Los Angeles, California

David Wolpe (RS '87), senior rabbi at Sinai Temple and author, Los Angeles, California

Visit JTS online at www.jtsa.edu.

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