Top 50 Rabbis Ranked in Newsweek

No kidding. Michael Lynton, CEO and chairman of Sony Pictures, Gary Ginsberg of Newscorp, and Jay Sanderson of JTN Productions put together a list of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. It appears as a Newsweek Web Exclusive. They ranked the rabbis based on fame, media presence, constituency size, influence and other factors. Among the 50 are are Rabbi Krinsky of Lubavitch at number 2, "Shalom in the Home: host Shmuley Boteach at number 9, Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe Williamsburg at number 15, Rabbi Avi Weiss at number 25 and Yeshiva University Chancellor Rabbi Norman Lamm at number 44.

While this list is obviously meaningless, based on the opinions of three people, it is still interesting to see how Orthodoxy is perceived in the media (almost 20 of the 50 are labeled Orthodox.)

Two others of note who made the list are Rabbi Nosson Scherman number 45) of Artscroll/Mesorah Publications (well deserved) and Yehuda Berg at number 2.

Berg, though labeled "Orthodox", is really closer to the designation of "Meshuganah." He's the head of the Kabbalah Centre, whose well known members include Rosie O'Donnell, Sandra Bernhard, Roseanne and a famous singer I probably shouldn't mention by name on this site. A more appropriate name for the center would be the Shul of Scientology. (Incidentally, I worked with Berg as a counselor in camp years ago and he seemed quite normal at the time). Ranking Berg at number 2 suggests these three guys are nuts -- or that a large percentage of Judaism is nuts. Hard to say.

Hey, Newsweek, do something more useful next time -- like the top 50 chazzanim/cantors.