Joseph Telushkin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph Telushkin
Born	1948 (age 76–77)
Occupation	Rabbi, writer, lecturer
Genre	Judaism, ethics

Joseph Telushkin (born in 1948) is an American rabbi and writer. He has written over 15 books. These books cover topics like Jewish ethics (rules for good living) and Jewish history. One of his books, Rebbe, became a New York Times bestseller in 2014.

Who is Joseph Telushkin?

Joseph Telushkin grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Solomon and Hellen Telushkin. He went to the Yeshiva of Flatbush school. There, he met his friend Dennis Prager. They later wrote two books together.

His Education and Early Work

Telushkin studied at Yeshiva University, where he became a rabbi. He also studied Jewish history at Columbia University. While at Columbia, he and Dennis Prager wrote Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism. They also wrote Why the Jews?: The Reason for Antisemitism.

Fighting for Freedom

During his time at university, Telushkin was a leader in the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry. This group worked to help Jewish people in the Soviet Union. As part of this work, Telushkin visited the Soviet Union. He met with people who disagreed with the government, like Andrei Sakharov. The KGB, which was the Soviet Union's main security agency, even listed him as an "anti-Russian agent."

A Rabbi and Teacher

Joseph Telushkin is an Orthodox rabbi. He led the Los Angeles Synagogue for the Performing Arts until it closed in 2022. He also works with the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. He used to be the education director at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute. He is also on the board of the Jewish Book Council. Since 1997, Newsweek magazine has named him one of the 50 most important rabbis in America.

His Books and Their Impact

Telushkin has written 16 books about Judaism. His book Words That Hurt, Words That Heal inspired two US Senators, Joseph Lieberman and Connie Mack. They suggested a "National Speak No Evil Day." This would be a day for Americans to try not to say anything unkind or unfair to anyone.

His book Jewish Literacy was very popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. It teaches important things about the Jewish religion, its people, and its history. Many people, both Jewish and non-Jewish, still use it today.

In 2006, he published the first part of A Code of Jewish Ethics: You Shall Be Holy. He considers this his most important work. It won the National Jewish Book Award. The second part, A Code of Jewish Ethics: Love Your Neighbor, came out in 2009.

Speaking Around the World

In 2013, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, invited Telushkin to speak in Geneva.

In 2014, he released Rebbe. This book appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

Telushkin travels across the United States to give talks about Jewish topics. Talk Magazine named him one of the 50 best speakers in the country. He also wrote an episode for the TV show Touched by an Angel called 'Bar Mitzvah'. The famous actor Kirk Douglas was a guest star in that episode.

What Are His Main Books?

Here are some of Joseph Telushkin's well-known books:

• A Code of Jewish Ethics: Volume 1: You Shall Be Holy
• A Code of Jewish Ethics: Volume 2: Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
• Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History
• The Book of Jewish Values: A Day-by-Day Guide to Ethical Living
• Words that Hurt, Words that Heal: How to Use Words Wisely and Well
• Jewish Humor: What the Best Jewish Jokes Say About the Jews
• Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible
• Jewish Wisdom: Ethical, Spiritual and Historical Lessons from the Great Works and Thinkers (1994) ISBN: 0-688-12958-7
• The Ten Commandments of Character: Essential Advice for Living an Honorable, Ethical, Honest Life
• The Golden Land: The Story of Jewish Immigration to America
• Rabbi Daniel Winter mystery series, which includes:
  • The Final Analysis of Dr. Stark
  • An Eye for an Eye
• Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism (with Dennis Prager)
• Why the Jews: The Reason for Antisemitism (with Dennis Prager)
• Heaven's Witness (with Allen Estrin)
• The Quarrel (with Dennis Prager)
• The Case for Jewish Peoplehood: Can We Be One? (with Erica Brown and Misha Galperin, 2009)
• Hillel: If Not Now, When?
• Rebbe: The life and teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the most influential Rabbi in Modern History (2014)