Seekers of Meaning 9/6/2024: Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz Discusses His New Book of 45 Great Philosophers

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz discusses his latest book, 45 Great Philosophers and What They Mean for Judaism.

AI-Generated Summary of the Conversation

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz discusses his book and the importance of engaging with diverse philosophical perspectives. He emphasizes the value of learning from other cultures and voices, and how Judaism has always been in dialogue with different philosophies throughout history. The conversation explores the concept of Jewish philosophy and its relationship with other philosophical traditions, such as Confucianism and existentialism. The role of women philosophers in Jewish thought is also highlighted. The discussion touches on the decline of intellectualism in contemporary American Jewish society and the need to revive the exploration of ideas and deep questions.


About the Book

In this new forty-five-chapter series, Rabbi Shmuly explores forty-five of the most influential philosophers throughout history and how Jewish ideas might engage with each of the philosophers and their philosophical projects. At times, Judaism may need to reject harmful, foreign ideas. Other times, Judaism may need to adapt, integrate, and expand. There are many other approaches we’ll see of how Jewish thought can engage with other philosophies as well. In this exciting new exploration, we learn about Jewish intellectual history and what it means for us today.


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Listen to the Audio Podcast

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About the Guest

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz has twice been named one of America’s Top Rabbis by Newsweek and has been named by The Forward as one of the  50 most influential Jews and one of The Most Inspiring Rabbis in America.

Rabbi Yanklowitz is the author of nineteen books on Jewish ethics and his writings have appeared in outlets as diverse as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and the Atlantic among many other secular and religious publications. He has served as speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and a Rothschild Fellow in Cambridge, UK.

Rav Shmuly received a Masters from Harvard University and his Doctorate from Columbia University. He serves as the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash (Jewish learning center), the Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek (the Orthodox Social Justice movement), the Founder and CEO of Shamayim (Jewish animal advocacy), and the Founder and President of YATOM, (Jewish foster and adoption network). Rabbi Shmuly, his wife Shoshana, and their four children live in Scottsdale, Arizona. They are also foster parents.

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