Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.
His books, available on Amazon, include:
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most respected Chabad authorities on kosher food, who is also the chief rabbi of a haredi city in Israel, has banned the use of tap water on Shabbat. Bnei Brak’s Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Landa issued a halachic ruling that using a faucet […]
Does turning on the water faucet violate Shabbat? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiCourage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen–Winston Churchill By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–Over the years, many of us regarded the Jewish Press as the Orthodox answer to the National Enquirer. Mind you, the Enquirer is quite entertaining. However,
A bold newspaper helps a gay Orthodox man to tell his side Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Over a year has passed since the terrible Arizona shooting, when a gunman opened fire, killing six people and wounding 13 others. Gabrielle Giffords, a conservative Democrat representing Arizona’s Eighth District, was among those wounded. She remained in critical condition after she survived a single gunshot to
Reasonable restrictions necessary on who can buy a gun Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Kingston, Ontario was once a quiet peaceful community. That all changed when Mohammad Shafia, his wife, and son decided to murder the girls of their family. When he discovered his daughters sending pictures of themselves posing in bras and panties to their boyfriends, he said,
Misogyny may be found in doctrines of some Muslims, some Jews Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–After reading Neil N. Winkler’s new book, Bringing the Prophets to Life: A Timely Look at a Timeless Story (Jerusalem: Gefen, 2011), I felt elated. Somebody in the Orthodox world has finally written a book on the Prophets! The study of the Tanakh remains one of the most
Was King David guilty of adultery? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The 1930s are one of the most famous periods of early 20th century American history. Most of us of the Baby boom era grew up watching The Untouchables television series. Chicago, 1930, is best remembered for Al Capone, America’s most successful gangster, who made organized crime into
Niso Shaham is Israel’s version of Eliot Ness Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Whenever I read the Lubavitcher website, it seems as if we are reliving history. The Lubavitcher character assassination of Shmuley Boteach reminds me of how the 17th century Dutch Jewish community treated one of its heretical spirits and his name was Uriel da Costa (1585-1640).
Critics of ‘Kosher Jesus’ author reminiscent of 17th Century Dutch Jewish community Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –As we give pause to the memory of Martin Luther King and his profound ethical message concerning the evils of racial intolerance, it behooves us to ask ourselves: Have we, as a religious community, fully embraced the principles that cost this great man his life? Most American
Chabad should end its discrimination against Ethiopian Jews Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –I could not help but read the Chabad reaction to Shmuley Boteach’s new book, Kosher Jesus. Most of us, who have no inner access to the Chabad inner circle, might be surprised by the ferocity of the Lubavitchers’ reactions. Rabbi Yitzchok Wolf, Dean of SJ Abrams Cheder
Boteach’s ‘Kosher Jesus’ stirs Lubavitcher wrath Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–One of my congregants asked a recent synagogue class, “How can we try to be respectful and understanding of the ultra-Orthodox when they are at the forefront of hostile activities like rioting at places which are open on Shabbat and more recently, vandalizing a girls’ school in Bet
Is everyone worthy of our respect? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–The other day, I came across an interesting story, worthy of a Sherlock Holmes tale. Some time ago in 2011, Lubavitcher women sponsored a special collection for Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Deena Yellin writes, “The herd of brightly-colored stuffed animals filled our front porch with all the panache of
In defense of unkosher animal toys Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi“[My] book is telling the Jews to reclaim Jesus, the authentic Jesus, the historical Jesus, the Jewish Jesus” and to be inspired by his “beautiful” teachings, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said this week in Jerusalem. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Shmuley Boteach reminds me a lot of Paul, the Apostle. In fact, I
‘The Kosher Jesus’ raises eyebrows but is not very deep Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Some time ago, I had a friendly discussion with Rabbi Yisrael Goldberg, a young Chabadnik who lives in Israel. In the course of our talk, he told me that Rabbi Avraymo Levitanski (a former teacher of mine) had recently died. Avraymo was a great man;
Should a Chabadnik say “Today is Thursday, January 5th, in Santa Monica”? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — People often talk about David Ben Gurion’s encouragement of Haredi Jews to settle in Israel as his “greatest blunder.” Yet, not even he could foresee the damage the Haredi would cause in the future. Ben Gurion acknowledged the terrible mistake he made in a letter he
A Polish homeland for Israel’s haredim? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East