Shmuley Boteach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shmuley Boteach
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Boteach in 2010
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| Born |
Jacob Shmuel Boteach
November 19, 1966 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Notable work
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| Television | Shalom in the Home (2006–2007) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Debbie
(m. 1988) |
| Children | 9 |
| Relatives | Efraim Diveroli (nephew) |
Jacob Shmuel Boteach (born November 19, 1966), better known as Shmuley Boteach, is an American Jewish rabbi, author, and TV and radio host. He has written 36 books, including the best-seller Kosher Jesus (2012).
Boteach is famous for his TV series Shalom in the Home, which was shown on the TLC network. He has been named one of the most influential rabbis in the United States by Newsweek magazine.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Shmuley Boteach was born in Los Angeles, California. He was the youngest of five children. His father was an Iranian Jew and his mother was an American Ashkenazi Jew. His parents divorced when he was eight years old.
In 1977, he joined the Miami Boys Choir. He sang a popular solo in the song "Boruch Hashem" in 1979.
Boteach became interested in Judaism after attending a Chabad-Lubavitch camp. At age 14, he decided he wanted to become a rabbi to help people. He studied at several yeshivas (Jewish schools) in Los Angeles, New York, and Jerusalem.
When he was 21, he met his future wife, Debbie, in Sydney, Australia. They married in 1988. Boteach and his wife have nine children and live in Englewood, New Jersey.
Career as a Rabbi
Work at Oxford University
In 1988, at age 22, Boteach was sent to Oxford, England. He served as a rabbi to the students at Oxford University for 11 years. There, he started the Oxford University L'Chaim Society. "L'Chaim" is a Hebrew toast that means "To Life."
The society became very popular, with over 5,000 non-Jewish members. It hosted many famous speakers, including:
- Six Israeli prime ministers
- Former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev
- Physicist Stephen Hawking
- Singer Boy George
- Actor Jon Voight
Some leaders wanted Boteach to remove non-Jewish and gay students from the society. Boteach refused, saying that everyone should be welcome. This disagreement led to him leaving the Chabad organization, but he said he still loved Chabad and raised his children in its traditions.
Awards and Recognition
In 2000, Boteach won the "Preacher of the Year" Award from The Times newspaper in London. Newsweek magazine listed him as one of the "Top 50 Rabbis in America" for several years. The Washington Post once called him "the most famous rabbi in America."
In 2013, he gave the graduation speech at Southern Utah University. The university gave him an honorary degree.
Media Career
Television and Radio
From 2006 to 2007, Boteach hosted the TV show Shalom in the Home. In the show, he helped families solve their problems and gave advice to parents. The show was very popular on the TLC network.
He has also appeared as a guest on many other TV shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Dr. Phil Show, and The Today Show.
Boteach hosted a weekly radio program called The Shmuley Show. He also had his own daily talk show on the "Oprah and Friends" radio channel.
Writing
Boteach has written for many newspapers and websites. These include The Huffington Post, The Jerusalem Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
His 2012 book, Kosher Jesus, presented Jesus as a Jewish patriot who was killed by the Romans. The book received both praise and criticism. Some rabbis praised it for starting a conversation between Jews and Christians. Others were very critical of its ideas. Boteach responded by saying, "We are the People of the Book. We aren't the people who ban books."
Friendship with Michael Jackson
In the late 1990s, Boteach became a friend and spiritual advisor to the singer Michael Jackson. Jackson and his children often had Shabbat dinner with the Boteach family.
In 2000, Boteach and Jackson started a charity called "Heal the Kids." The charity's goal was to encourage parents to spend more time with their children. It also aimed to help children in need around the world.
After Jackson's death in 2009, Boteach published a book based on 30 hours of taped interviews with the singer. In the tapes, Jackson talked about his childhood, his friendships, and his life as a famous person.
The World Values Network
Boteach founded The World Values Network in 2007. It is a non-profit organization that promotes universal Jewish values in politics and culture. The organization believes that these values can help solve some of America's biggest challenges.
Each year, the organization holds an awards gala. It honors people from politics, business, and entertainment who have supported Israel and Jewish values.
Political Career
In 2012, Boteach ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey as a Republican. He was the first rabbi to run for Congress as a Republican.
He supported ideas like making family counseling tax-deductible to help lower the divorce rate. He also supported lower taxes and a simpler tax code.
Boteach won the Republican primary election. However, he lost the main election to the Democratic candidate, Bill Pascrell. In his speech after the election, Boteach said, "He is now my Congressman. I pledge my complete support to him."
