Shmuley Boteach (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Shmuley Boteach (born November 19, 1966) is an American Orthodox rabbi, radio show host, and author.

Rabbi Boteach received his rabbinic ordination in 1988 from the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement in New York City, as a disciple of its leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. That same year he was sent as a Chabad-Lubavitch shaliach (emissary) to become its representative at Oxford University in England, where he founded the L'Chaim Society on the campus, to encourage young Jewish students to participate in Jewish culture and religious events at the university. The rabbi used the student organization (which has since become independent) as a forum for debate with a prominent array of public figures and celebrities. The organization became the second largest student organization at Oxford in 1993, and the following year the group became an independent foundation and charity. However, Rabbi Boteach and the Chabad-Lubavitch organization in England did not agree on all issues regarding how to reach out to Jewish students at Oxford and the role of non-Jewish students; Newark mayor Cory Booker, a non-Jew, served as President of the organization for a period of time. After this disagreement, Rabbi Boteach returned to the United States.

Rabbi Boteach achieved worldwide recognition from the publication of his international bestseller, Kosher Sex.

Besides branching into radio, Boteach has continued to stay active with L'Chaim. The group had strong connections with the "Heal the Kids" foundation, which Boteach co-founded with Michael Jackson. That charity is now defunct. The rabbi was a frequent guest on news programs during the height of Jackson's child molestation trial. Rabbi Boteach has since repudiated Jackson.

He frequently appears as a guest on television and radio programs, offering his wide-ranging viewpoints on politics, religion, society, and morality. His daily afternoon radio show hosted by Utah-based Bonneville Broadcasting, Passion, was cancelled after the rabbi invited Hurricane Katrina refugees to Utah.

Boteach now hosts his own series Shalom in the Home, a reality Television program airing on Monday nights at 10:00 on TLC, where he facilitates family members to overcome their problems. The program debuted on April 10, 2006. A second season of the series is due to air in early 2007.

Controversy

Shmuley Boteach has been often criticized for the commercialization of his ideas and influence. This sentiment has arisen in part due to his large amount of exposure in the media, from commentary on Jewish holidays on VH1 to debating sex with Jewish Playboy magazine Playmate Lindsey Vuolo, etc., and his propensity to promote his latest book or other venture even while on programs other than his own.

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