Menachem Genack (born 1949) is an
Orthodox
Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to:
Religion
* Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
and the
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of the
Orthodox Union Kosher
Orthodox Union Kosher, known as OU Kosher or OUK, is a kosher certification agency based in New York, New York. It was founded in 1923 by Abraham Goldstein. It is the certification agency of about 70% of kosher food worldwide, and is the larges ...
Division, a supervisory organization o
kosher food As such he oversees the kosher certification of over 1.3 million products and over 14,000 facilities in 104 countries.
In addition to his role at the Orthodox union (OU Kosher) , he gives a Yoreh Deah shiur for ordination students at Yeshiva University and is a member of the Board of Trustees and Professor of Talmud at
Touro College
Touro University is a private Jewish university system headquartered in New York City, with branches throughout the United States as well as one each in Germany, Israel and Russia. It was founded by Bernard Lander in 1971 and named for Isaac an ...
, from which he received an Honorary Doctorate in 1998. Rabbi Genack was founding Chairman of
NORPAC
NORPAC is a bipartisan, multi-candidate political action committee (PAC) working to strengthen United States-Israel relations, founded in New Jersey in 1982. Its activities include fundraising for Senators and Members of the United States Congre ...
, a pro-Israel political action committee. He also serves on the executive committee of
AIPAC.
An author and talmudic scholar, Rabbi Genack has published over 180 articles on Jewish thought and law, and is on the editorial board of Yeshiva University’s publication Tradition, A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought. The author of three halachic works: Birkat Yitchak, Gan Shoshanim, and Chazon Nachum, Rabbi Genack is also the co-editor of the Torah journal Mesorah.
In 2008
The Jewish Daily Forward
''The Forward'' ( yi, פֿאָרווערטס, Forverts), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, '' ...
listed him as one of the "Forward 50," the fifty most influential
Jews
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Genack lives in
Englewood, New Jersey, where he is rabbi of Congregation Shomrei Emunah since 1985.
Disciple of Joseph B. Soloveitchik
Rabbi Genack, a close disciple of
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
Joseph Ber Soloveitchik ( he, יוסף דב הלוי סולובייצ׳יק ''Yosef Dov ha-Levi Soloveychik''; February 27, 1903 – April 9, 1993) was a major American Orthodox rabbi, Talmudist, and modern Jewish philosopher. He was a scion ...
, was known as one of his foremost students from whom he received
semicha
Semikhah ( he, סמיכה) is the traditional Jewish name for rabbinic ordination.
The original ''semikhah'' was the formal "transmission of authority" from Moses through the generations. This form of ''semikhah'' ceased between 360 and 425 C ...
Yoreh Yoreh Yadin Yadin. In his
semicha
Semikhah ( he, סמיכה) is the traditional Jewish name for rabbinic ordination.
The original ''semikhah'' was the formal "transmission of authority" from Moses through the generations. This form of ''semikhah'' ceased between 360 and 425 C ...
, Rav Solovietichk wrote: “He dives to the depths of the halacha and emerges with pearls and jewels. Not every day does one encounter a scholar of his caliber.”
Rabbi Genack aided the Rav in editing the Rav’s Shiurim l’Zecher Aba Mori and encouraged him to publish them. When the shiurim were reprinted, Rav Soloveitchik wrote a letter to Rabbi Genack thanking him for his help. He also edited Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
Man of Halacha, Man of Faith
Work with New Jersey Governor Corzine
In 2006, Rabbi Genack delivered the Benediction at the Inaugural ceremony for Governor Jon S. Corzine in Trenton. He then served on the Governor-Elect’s transition team for the Department of Corrections, the second largest item in the New Jersey budget.
Dialogue with former President Bill Clinton
In 1993 Rabbi Genack wrot
Letters to President Clinton: Biblical Lessons on Faith and Leadership a written dialogue between Rabbi Genack and former President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
over a period of 15 years. The two men met when then-governor Clinton was just beginning his road to the White House. The rabbi began sending Clinton brief essays highlighting spiritual insights
from the Bible to help him navigate difficult decisions and issues. During his second term, the president asked Rabbi Genack to write these pieces more regularly and formally, and the rabbi invited Bible scholars, political leaders, scientists, clergy members, and laypeople to contribute.
Published works
Books
Birkat Yitzchak – Chidushim U-ve’urim al HaTorahBirkat Yitzchak – The Four ParshiyotBirkat Yitzchak on SanhedrinGan Shoshanim-2* Chazon Nachum
Letters to President Clinton: Biblical Lessons on Faith and LeadershipMan of Halacha Man of FaithThe Seder Night: An Exalted Evening
Articles
Learning from Lincoln: The importance of presidential humilityHilary Clinton, Donald Trump and Abe Lincoln's Mantle
Sources
American Orthodox rabbis
American chief executives of food industry companies
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary semikhah recipients
Yeshiva University rosh yeshivas
20th-century American rabbis
21st-century American rabbis
1949 births
Living people
People from Englewood, New Jersey
Place of birth missing (living people)
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