Emes Ve-Emunah: The New Money Man

Thursday, February 28, 2013

The New Money Man

Jack Lew Orthodox Jew - Photo credit: Forward

Congratulations to Jack Lew who was yesterday approved by the Senate for the position of Secretary of the Treasury. I wish him lots of luck. He’ll need it.

Unlike other distinguished Jewish Secretaries of the Treasury (like Bob Rubin and Bill Summers) Jack Lew is not only Jewish but he is observant - a Shomer Shabbos Jew. Something we can all be proud of.

If he can get us out of this sequester mess somehow, he will not only be Jewish... and not only be observant... he will be a genius and a hero.

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My outlook on Judaism is based mostly on the teachings of my primary Rebbe, Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik from whom I received my rabbinic ordination. It is also based on a search for spiritual truth. Among the various sources that put me on the right path, two great philosophic works stand out: “Halakhic Man” and “Lonely Man of Faith” authored by the pre-eminent Jewish philosopher and theologian, Rabbi, Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Of great significance is Rabbi, Dr. Norman Lamm's conceptualization and models of Torah U’Mada and Dr. Eliezer Berkovits who introduced me to the world of philosophic thought. Among my early influences were two pioneers of American Elementary Torah Chinuch, Rabbis Shmuel Kaufman and Yaakov Levi. The Yeshivos I attended were Yeshivas Telshe for early high school and more significantly, the Hebrew Theological College where for a period of ten years, my Rebbeim included such great Rabbinic figures as Rabbis Mordechai Rogov, Shmaryahu Meltzer, Yaakov Perlow, Herzl Kaplan, and Selig Starr. I also attended Roosevelt University where I received my Bachelor's Degree - majoring in Psychology.