Complaint Review: Shmuly Yanklowitz:

The original post submitted here is the work of someone who has his/her heart content on ruining Rabbi Yanklowitz's reputation. But by doing so, they've only made it apparent to the world that they will debase themselves through lies and libel to attack someone that they do not agree with.

Any sensible person reading the original post can easily see through its falsity and base attacks that are only meant to split the Jewish community even more. Rabbi Yanklowitz is an advocate for a welcoming form of Judaism, not a community member who sows division.

Do not trust a single word of this baseless and mendacious report. 

A point-by-point rebuttal to the anonymous user:

“Shmuly Yanklowitz does not represent the Jewish religion.” - Rabbi Yanklowitz has never claimed this. 

“He was ordained as a "Rabbi" by a fraudulent cult leader.” - Rabbi Yanklowitz received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a Orthodox yeshiva located in New York City (https://www.yctorah.org/). Additionally, he has two private ordinations from mainstream Jewish leaders in Israel. “Open Orthodoxy” is a philosophy established by Rabbi Avi Weiss (https://www.yctorah.org/staff/rabbi-avi-weiss/), a noted social justice activist who has spent his career advocating for vulnerable populations. He is a well-respected member of the Jewish community in New York and abroad.

“…fringe cult group of less than 100 “Rabbis” who hijacked Judaism that advocate for radical, American-hating fundamentals.” - Graduates of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah are installed at synagogues and faith communities around the nation. They are not radicals in any sense of the word, nor do they hate America.

“Shmully Yaklowitz is banned from holding a membership in every synagogue in Arizona.” - Besides spelling Rabbi Yanklowitz’s name incorrectly, this claim is not remotely true. He is not banned from joining any local synagogue.

“Jews have a custom of praying for the welfare of the nation in which worshipers reside, in this case the United States of America. Shmully Yanklowitz absolutely refuses to participate in the prayer.” - The anonymous poster is referring to the tradition of Hanoten Teshua - the prayer for the safety of kings, which in the American context has been extended to the President, and indeed, the United States government and branches of the military.

When the now-President was about to be inaugurated, Rabbi Yanklowitz wrote an alternative prayer (https://ritualwell.org/ritual/prayer-our-nation) for himself and for those who were uncomfortable praying for the success of an administration that based its political success on racist and bigoted policies. So, far from “refus[ing] to participate in the prayer,” he fashioned a new prayer that allowed him (and others) to uplift their spiritual desire to protect vulnerable communities that were sure to be negatively affected by certain elements in the government. More about this story can be read here: https://www.timesofisrael.com/altering-prayer-to-exclude-trump-rabbi-taps-into-history-of-liturgical-dissent/

“Shmuly likes to welcome illegal, unscreened muslim immigrants to share his home” - For the past several years, Rabbi Yanklowitz hosted refugees from Syria in his home to celebrate various holidays, such as Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Far from being “illegal,” these Syrian families have claimed asylum after fleeing their homes in terror. More about this can be found here (https://www.timesofisrael.com/activist-phoenix-rabbi-hosts-syrian-refugee-family-for-thanksgiving/), here (https://kjzz.org/content/728395/valley-rabbi-host-syrian-refugees-thanksgiving), here (http://www.jewishaz.com/welcoming-syrian-refugees/article_6eb7d356-b40a-11e5-a1dd-2f747d0751b7.html), and here (https://forward.com/opinion/361318/to-really-love-thy-neighbor-invite-a-syrian-refugee-into-your-home/).

“Furthermore he regularly sends money to Syria and other countries that are not allies of America.” - This claim is not true. However, Rabbi Yanklowitz co-founded an organization called Jews for Human Rights in Syria. He also supports NGOs that provide remote villages in Africa and South American with mosquito nets and life-saving medicine.

“Rabbis, especially “Orthodox”, are required to wear head coverings (yarmulke) at all times. Shmuly Yanklowitz only wears one while marching around at the state capital with his prayer shall on.” - Rabbi Yanklowitz wears a yarmulke all day long.  He explained his reasoning for donning a prayer shawl during protests: 

“I almost always wear my tallis for street protests…And that’s because those protests are a form of prayer for me. I view it as a conversation in partnership with God to be at street protests, to stand in solidarity with vulnerable populations.” Source: https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/189603/

“Shmuly Yanklowitz, or Dr. Rabbi as he likes to call himself…” - Rabbi Yanklowitz has a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University.

“…is an unrecognized convert to Judaism…” - Rabbi Yanklowitz’s father is Jewish and his mother is Christian. He underwent a Conservative conversion when he was a teen and a more Orthodox conversion when he was a young man. He talks about his experiences in a piece published in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/24/opinion/judaism-must-embrace-the-convert.html

… who does not worship the Lord.” - He prays three times a day, as required by Jewish tradition.

“He is not a representative of Jews in the United States or elsewhere” - Rabbi Yanklowitz has never claimed to be a representative of the Jewish community as a whole.

Two more points. The photos on this page need to be addressed as well.

“Shmuly with ISIL Spokesman” - This photo is of Rabbi Yanklowitz with Tahir U. Abdullah at the 2015 World Parliament of Religion in Salt Lake City, UT. (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152997668226307&set=a.10151019801876307&type=3&theater). Abdullah was a chaplain at the University of Chicago at the time of the photo and is now a doctoral student at the University of Michigan (https://lsa.umich.edu/history/people/graduate-students/tahir-abdullah.html)

“Shmuly Yanklowitz and Terrorists” -  This 2017 photo is of Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Dinner, where members of the Phoenix Jewish and Islamic communities come together to learn from one another and enjoy a meaningful meal together. (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=726671474181634&set=a.166421660206621&type=3&theater)