Benzion Zvi Klatzko (born June 11, 1968) is a United States-based Orthodox rabbi best known as the founder of Shabbat.com.
Klatzko graduated from Hebrew Academy of Cleveland in 1981, [1] followed by Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem of Staten Island. He was ordained at the Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn, New York on August 13, 1993 by Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum.
After completing his studies, Klatzko was Rabbi of the Agudath Israel synagogue of 14th Ave (Pirchei Minyan) in Brooklyn, New York, and was then the rabbi of congregation Shaarey Tefiloh [2] [3] in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. [4] In 1999, he was appointed campus rabbi of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he organized outreach programs for college students through the Jewish Awareness Movement. [4] During this period, he ran monthly classes on Jewish thought in Hollywood for many writers, producers, actors, and directors in the movie industry earning the moniker "The Hollywood Rabbi". Starting in 2003, Klatzko began to seed other campuses throughout Southern California with Jewish programming (e.g., Classes, Trips, and organizational structure) including USC, UCSB, UCSD, SDSU, SMC, and CSUN. Additionally, he helped start the CLE program in Florida and the JEM program in Madison Wisconsin.
In 2006, the Klatzko family moved to Monsey, New York, where Rabbi Klatzko was appointed national educational director for Olami Worldwide. [5] In which position he is tasked with seeding North American college campuses with Jewish life. Each year Rabbi Klatzko visits and lectures at over 100 campuses.
In 2010, Rabbi Klatzko founded Shabbat.com, a social networking website intended to bring Jews together to celebrate the Sabbath. [4] [6] [7] [8] Shabbat.com is a website as well as an app available on IOS and Android. In addition, Klatzko has founded numerous other projects and websites including, Hashem.com, WhyMarryJewish.org, Uma Alert, Havdalah.com, IlluminateTheWorld.com, Hisoriri, and the online Jewish television network, LiveJudaism.com. All of these projects are maintained by the Od Yavo Foundation created by Klatzko in 2015.
U.S. Congressman Bob Menendez described Klatzko during a 1997 session of the U.S. House of Representatives as a "distinguished gentleman making a difference to his community". [9]
Jewish Forward magazine included him in their 2014 list of "America's Most Inspiring Rabbis". [10]
Klatzko married his wife Shoshana Juravel on June 27, 1988. She is a daughter of the noted children's author and lecturer Rabbi Dovid Juravel. The family currently resides in Monsey, New York. [11]
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 the rabbi developed in the Pharisaic and Talmudic eras, when learned teachers assembled to codify Judaism's written and oral laws. The title "rabbi" was first used in the first century CE. In more recent centuries, the duties of a rabbi became increasingly influenced by the duties of the Protestant Christian minister, hence the title "pulpit rabbis", and in 19th-century Germany and the United States rabbinic activities including sermons, pastoral counseling, and representing the community to the outside, all increased in importance.
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who leads the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this prayer leader is often referred to as a cantor, a term also used in Christianity.
Aish HaTorah is an Orthodox Jewish educational organization and yeshiva.
Bobov is a Hasidic community within Haredi Judaism, originating in Bobowa, Galicia, in southern Poland, and now headquartered in the neighborhood of Borough Park, in Brooklyn, New York.
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald is one of the leaders in the movement of Orthodox Jewish outreach in America today.
Shlomo Riskin is an Orthodox rabbi, and the founding rabbi of Lincoln Square Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York City, which he led for 20 years; founding chief rabbi of the Israeli settlement of Efrat in the Israeli-occupied West Bank; former dean of Manhattan Day School in New York City; and founder and Chancellor of the Ohr Torah Stone Institutions, a network of high schools, colleges, and graduate Programs in the United States and Israel.
Ohr Somayach, Monsey was an accredited men's college of Judaic studies offering both full and part-time programs.
The Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada (UOR), often called by its Hebrew name, Agudath Harabonim or Agudas Harrabonim ("union of rabbis"), was established in 1901 in the United States and is the oldest organization of Orthodox rabbis in the United States. It had been for many years the principal group for such rabbis, though in recent years it has lost much of its former membership and influence.
Moshe David Tendler was an American rabbi, professor of biology and expert in medical ethics. He served as chairman of the biology department at Yeshiva University.
Jewish education is the transmission of the tenets, principles, and religious laws of Judaism. Known as the "people of the book", Jews value education, and the value of education is strongly embedded in Jewish culture. Judaism places a heavy emphasis on Torah study, from the early days of studying the Tanakh.
Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Ungar, also known as Rabbi Samuel David Ungar, was the rabbi of the Hungarian city of Nyitra and dean of the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during World War II. He was the father-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl, and played a minor role in the Bratislava Working Group's efforts to save Slovak Jews from the Holocaust.
Robert M. Beren Academy is a private Modern Orthodox Jewish primary and secondary school at 11333 Cliffwood Drive in Houston, Texas, United States.
Chaim Yisroel HaLevi Belsky was an American rabbi and posek of Orthodox and Haredi Judaism. He was one of the roshei yeshiva (deans) at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, and rabbi of the summer camp network run by Agudath Israel of America.
Orthodox Jewish outreach, often referred to as Kiruv or Qiruv, is the collective work or movement of Orthodox Judaism that reaches out to non-observant Jews to encourage belief in God and life according to Orthodox Jewish law. The process of a Jew becoming more observant of Orthodox Judaism is called teshuva making the "returnee" a baal teshuva. Orthodox Jewish outreach has worked to enhance the rise of the baal teshuva movement.
In Judaism, a person who is shomer Shabbat or shomer Shabbos is a person who observes the mitzvot (commandments) associated with Judaism's Shabbat, or Sabbath, which begins at dusk on Friday and ends after sunset on Saturday.
Pinchas Hacohen Peli was an Israeli modern Orthodox rabbi, essayist, poet, and scholar of Judaism and Jewish philosophy.
Ilan Daniel Feldman is an American Orthodox Jewish rabbi, public speaker and author. Since 1991 he has been the senior rabbi and spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Jacob of Atlanta, Georgia, succeeding his father, Rabbi Dr. Emanuel Feldman, who founded and led the congregation for 39 years. Over the past 20 years Feldman has built on his father's work, bringing a community kollel to the city and nurturing the growth of Atlanta as one of the leading centers for Orthodox Jewish life in America. He is also a founding board member of the Association for Jewish Outreach Programs (AJOP).
Shabbat.com is an online social network service aimed at the Jewish community. Shabbat.com connects users with "Hosts" for Shabbat as well as serving as an online dating platform and social network. Currently the site claims 100,000 members.
Ohr Torah Stone (OTS) is an international Modern Orthodox movement that aims to develop Jewish life, learning, and leadership. The organization is led by Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander. In 1983 OTS was founded by Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin. As of 2020 OTS included 27 educational institutions under its auspices.
Kenneth Brander is an American rabbi who is president and Rosh HaYeshiva of the Ohr Torah Stone network of institutions. He is a member of the Jewish Federations of North America’s Rabbinic Cabinet Round Table.