The Jewish people are known as the People of the Book, and the historic emphasis the Jewish nation has placed on education, scholarship and erudition has meant that our teachers and scholars have always had a strong influence over the direction and character of the Jewish people.
Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, the newly appointed chancellor of the preeminent institution of Jewish scholarship and learning in Conservative Judaism, the Jewish Theological Seminary, has for many years helped shape its direction and influence in molding Jewish leaders of the next generation.
She has served in numerous leadership positions within the JTS, developing, expanding and evolving its different branches and programs, building especially on the institution’s tradition of social justice engagement, as well as authoring books and academic papers on Jewish life in the United States.No. 47: The sword and the pen >>>No. 49: Zionist 2020 >>>
Full list >>>
Full list >>>
Now, as head of the JTS, Schwartz’s role in influencing American Jewish society has been heightened even further, and her commitment to advancing her institution’s efforts to improve society has only increased against a background of increasingly deep fissures and troubles in the US and beyond.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post shortly after she was appointed chancellor, Schwartz said that one of her central goals was to advance JTS’s moral voice in the world during a time of deep societal injustice, and that the organization would seek to enhance its programing in this regard.
And as the first woman to head the JTS, Schwartz is also an important role model for Jewish women everywhere, the symbolism of which she says she is keenly aware.
Schwartz’s scholarship and leadership have meant that she has been a figure of influence within the Jewish world for many years. Her new position heading one of the most venerable and prestigious institutions in American Jewish society means that her influence will continue to grow.