Richard Joel: Difference between revisions

| office = President Emeritus of [[Yeshiva University]]<ref name="auto">{{citeCite web |url=https://www.yu.edu/trustees|title=Board of Trustees &#124; Yeshiva University|website=www.yu.edu}}</ref>

| office1 = President of [[Yeshiva University]]<ref>{{cite web |urlname=https://www.yu.edu/trustees}}<"auto"/ref>

| term = 2017- Present- Professor at YU

| occupation = attorney, professor, Leadership Guru

'''Richard M. Joel''' (born September 9, 1950) is a Jewish scholar who was the fourth [[University president|president]] of [[Yeshiva University]] (YU), a [[Modern Orthodox Judaism|Modern Orthodox]] [[Jew]]ish [[university]] with some 7,000 students at its undergraduate and graduate divisions in [[New York City]]. President Joel is renowned as a charismatic leader and a captivating [[orator]], and has traveled globally to dialogue with audiences on values-driven education, communal leadership, and Jewish identity. He has written on topics that include Jewish leadership, the dangers and challenges of BDS movement on college campuses, and civil discourse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disagreeing Agreeably |publisher=Higher Ed |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/04/01/bds-movement-highlights-need-restore-civil-discourse-campuses-essay}}</ref>

Richard Joel received his BA and JD from [[New York University]], where he was a Root-Tilden [[law]] [[scholar]],. and hasHe received honorary doctorates from Boston Hebrew College and [[Gratz College]]. He was an assistant district attorney and Deputy Chief of Appeals in the [[Bronx]]. His career continued as [[academician|associate]] [[dean (education)|dean]] and professor of law at YU's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.<ref name=YUbio>{{cite web |title=Biography of Richard M. Joel |publisher=Yeshiva University |url=http://www.yu.edu/president/biography/ |accessdate=July 22, 2014}}</ref>

==At Hillel presidency==

From 1989 to 2003, Joel served as President and International director of [[Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life]], an organization which supports Jewish life for college and university students throughout the world. In 1994, Joel orchestrated Hillel's independence from [[B'nai B'rith]], its parent organization since 1925. JoelWhile alsoat increasedHillel, the organization's financial stability and prestige by bringing onJoel boardattracted major philanthropists such as [[Michael Steinhardt]], [[Edgar Bronfman, Sr.]], and [[Lynn Schusterman]] and [[Charles Schusterman]]. During his tenure, Hillel partnered with [[Birthright Israel]], and launchedlaunching the Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps, a group of recent college graduates tasked with engaging unaffiliated Jews and drawing them to Judaism and Jewish events. Hillel also expanded to the former Soviet Union and South America.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |date=December 9, 2002 |publisher=The Jewish Federations of North America |url=http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=36746 |title=Hillel Faces New Campus Challenge: A New President To Lead Its Mission |accessdate=July 22, 2014}}</ref> Joel's tenure at Hillel has been criticized by some as providing stylish instead of substantive Judaism.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jeremy Deutchman |date=March–April 1999 |url=http://www.tikkun.org/magazine/index.cfm/action/tikkun/issue/tik9903/article/990313b.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030124104120/http://www.tikkun.org/magazine/index.cfm/action/tikkun/issue/tik9903/article/990313b.html |archivedate=January 24, 2003 |work=Tikkun |title=Hillel Incorporated: The Franchising of Modern American Jewry |accessdate=July 22, 2014}}</ref> (See also: [[Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life#Criticism]]) However, Joel hashe also beenreceived creditedpraise for his "skilled management, magnetism, personal warmth," and "clarity of vision".<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Joelas is creditedwell as the one who "transformed this movement (Hillel) and put Jewish renaissance atrevitalizing the forefront of the community's agenda", and his contributions to Hillel have been defined as "immeasurable" by its past and present leadershipmovement.<ref>{{cite web |author=Edgar M. Bronfman |author2=Lynn Schusterman |author3=Michael Steinhardt |author4=Neil M. Moss |date=December 5, 2002 |publisher=Hillel |url=http://www.hillel.org/about/news-views/news-views---blog/news-and-views/2002/12/05/richard-joel-named-yeshiva-university-president |title=Richard Joel Named Yeshiva University President |accessdate=July 22, 2014}}</ref>

==AtPresidency of Yeshiva University==

Joel became president of YU in 2003, succeeding Rabbi Dr. [[Norman Lamm]], who had been president since 1976. He stepped down in June 2017. As YU President, Joel appointed new deans for [[Yeshiva College (Yeshiva University)|Yeshiva College]], the [[Albert Einstein College of Medicine]], the [[Syms School of Business]], and the [[Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary]] (RIETS), and added faculty positions throughout the university,. and spurred wide-ranging improvements to campus life,He includingfacilitated the construction of the Jacob and Dreizel Glueck Center for Jewish Study, which opened in August 2009,and established the Center for Jewish Future,.<ref>{{cite web |author=Shuki Taylor |date=August 30, 2013 |publisher=ejewishphilanthropy.com |url=http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/eight-years-of-yeshiva-universitys-center-for-the-jewish-future-counterpoint-israel/ |title=Eight Years of Yeshiva University’sUniversity's Center for the Jewish Future Counterpoint Israel |accessdate=August 30, 2013}}</ref> whose mission is to have students engage in service learning programs that foster leadership and serve to enrich the [[Jewish]] community through the student body of [[Yeshiva University]],Joel established the Katz School of Graduate and Professional Studies,<ref>{{Cite webpress release|title = Yeshiva University Establishes The Katz School of Graduate and Professional Studies |url = http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yeshiva-university-establishes-the-katz-school-of-graduate-and-professional-studies-300239153.html|accessdate = 2016-03-22}}</ref> and restructured [[Yeshiva University]]’s [[Albert Einstein College of Medicine]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Yeshiva University, Montefiore finalize new agreement for Albert Einstein College of Medicine |date = 10 September 2015 |url = http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150910/Yeshiva-University-Montefiore-finalize-new-agreement-for-Albert-Einstein-College-of-Medicine.aspx |accessdate = 2015-09-10}}</ref> Joel hasalso strengthenedworked to strengthen the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein and S. Daniel Abraham honors programs .<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.yu.edu/honors/2010/04/28/honors-library-opens/ |title=Honors Library Opens for Business|website=blogs.yu.edu|publisher=Yeshiva University|date=April 28, 2010|accessdate=April 28, 2010}}</ref> and has focused on maximizing student success. With these advancements, Richard Joel expanded the reputation of the University as Yeshiva started reaching a broader student base, honored current American political leaders,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Addresses Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s 50th Anniversary Gala |url = http://blogs.yu.edu/news/sen-hillary-rodham-clinton-addresses-albert-einstein-college-of-medicines-50th-anniversary-gala/|accessdate = 2005-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Sen. McCain Calls YU Value-Centered Institution and Israel America’s ‘Natural Ally’ |url = http://blogs.yu.edu/news/sen-mccain-calls-yu-value-centered-institution-and-israel-americas-natural-ally/|accessdate = 2006-12-11}}</ref> and helped spread its reputation through such ventures as the [[Maccabeats]] and breaking a [[Guinness World Record]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Dreidelpalooza |url = http://yu.edu/About/History/|accessdate = 2010-11-11}}</ref>

As president of RIETS, he spearheaded efforts to reinvigorate professional education for rabbis, continuing education and rabbinic placement, and established the first of its kind in its field, the Rabbinic Personal Development Program, a joint Graduate Program in Pastoral Counseling between [[RIETS]] and Ferkauf. The joint program isprovides an exciting new opportunity designedopportunities for second-, third- and fourth-year [[RIETS]] students who plan to pursue a career in [[Jewish]] communal work.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 24, 2016 |title=RIETS & YU’sYU's Ferkauf Grad School Announce Program in Pastoral Counseling |work=The Jewish Voice|url=http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15458:riets-a-yus-ferkauf-grad-school-announce-program-in-pastoral-counseling&catid=102&Itemid=787&lang=en/ |accessdate=August 24, 2016}}</ref> President Joel spoke of a [[Yeshiva University]] education as "ennobling and enabling" a generation of leadership. Additionally, President Joel has established various centers and programs including the university's centers for Ethics, Public Health and the Jewish Future, and the Glatt Program on Israel and the Rule of Law. He has also established a Presidential Fellowship program that provides training and professional development to recent graduates to further their path toward communal leadership.

Joel was voted ‘no confidence’ by Yeshiva University faculty citing a lack of communication from administration and uncertainty for their failures, and was forced to down as president. He was appointed President Emeritus and continues as the Bravmann Family University Professor, teaching leadership courses across Yeshiva University.<ref>{{Cite Joel Defines leadership as "it means you matter and you have obligationsnews|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/nyregion/yeshiva-university-names-ari-berman-president.html|title=Yeshiva SomeoneUniversity whoNames takesAri responsibility.Berman ItPresident|first=Joseph|last=Berger|newspaper=The isNew aYork visionTimes with|date=November an17, implementation strategy."2016}}</ref>

Joel was born on September 9, 1950, and was raised in Yonkers, New York. He and his wife Esther (née Ribner), who holds a PhD from YU's [[Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology]], have six children – all of whom have attended Yeshiva University schools, – and thirteen grandchildren.{{cn|date=December 2022}} They currently reside in [[Riverdale, Bronx|Riverdale]], New York.<ref>{{cite news |last=McNeil |first=Kate |url=http://www.riverdalepress.com/full.php?sid=2397&current_edition=2008-01-03 |title=For Yeshiva's president, life can imitate television |newspaper=The Riverdale Press |date=January 3, 2008 |accessdate=May 3, 2008 |quote=Riverdale resident Richard Joel compares his job—president of Yeshiva University—to the presidency of the United States. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/2009021222515720120229051402/http://www.riverdalepress.com/full.php?sid=2397&current_edition=2008stories/For-01Yeshivas-03president-life-can-imitate-television,26707 |archivedate=February 1229, 20092012 }}</ref> Richard Joel has also performed for the [[Maccabeats]].