Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz has been chosen by Kehilath Israel Synagogue to serve as its next rabbi. Rabbi Yanklowitz will take over Aug. 13, when Senior Rabbi Herbert H. Mandl retires after serving the traditional congregation for 35 years.
K.I. President Steve Osman said the congregation’s board of directors unanimously approved the search committee’s recommendation to hire Rabbi Yanklowitz. The search committee was chaired by Geoff Friedman. Osman said K.I. is very excited to welcome Rabbi Yanklowitz to the area.
“We believe he will not only carry on the traditions followed for nearly 102 years, but revitalize and bring a new sense of spirituality to our membership,” Osman said.
Rabbi Mandl said he is very proud that Rabbi Yanklowitz will be his successor.
“He demonstrates not only tremendous enthusiasm and vigor, but a tremendous amount of maturity for his age. I wish him well in his future endeavors. May he grow from strength to strength,” Rabbi Mandl said.
Rabbi Yanklowitz and his wife Shoshana visited K.I. in early December. Since July of 2010, he has served as director of Jewish life and senior Jewish educator at UCLA Hillel in Los Angeles. The program serves approximately 3,000 students. He obtained his smicha (rabbinic ordination) from the Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School in the spring of 2010.
The young rabbi and his wife are looking forward to moving here.
“After visiting communities around the country, we found that the warmth and generosity at K.I. was unparalleled. We are thrilled to be moving to Kansas City and to be taking on leadership at Kehilath Israel,” he said.
“My vision for K.I. is to build upon the rich traditions of the congregation and to expand as a mission driven congregation to inspire growth for each individual and family at the shul and to partner to further develop the broader Kansas City Jewish community,” he continued.
Rabbi Yanklowitz is originally from Highland Park, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. He attended the University of Texas in Austin and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communication studies with a concentration in business foundation, where he was an honors student.
He also holds a Master of Arts degree in leadership, moral development and psychology from Harvard University. Continuing his education, he earned a second master’s degree, this one in Jewish philosophy from Yeshiva University. He is currently a doctoral candidate in epistemology, moral development and developmental psychology from Columbia University.
Rabbi Yanklowitz has served internships at congregations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Boca Raton and Montreal. He has also served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army.
The rabbi is also founder, president and chairman of the board of Uri L’Tzedek. It is described as the Orthodox social justice movement.
In addition Rabbi Yanklowitz has served as a volunteer mission leader and educator. As such he has traveled to Israel; Ghana, Africa; Pune, India; Senegal, Africa; Thailand; Ukraine; El Salvador; France; Germany; Guatemala; and Haiti. In the United States he has volunteered with the San Diego wildfire crisis relief and provided assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
Shoshana Yanklowitz is a nurse and the daughter of an Orthodox rabbi from New York.