Shlomo Riskin (born 1940) is an influential rabbi belonging to Modern Orthodox Judaism. He is the founder of the Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York City. He worked to draw attention to and support the underground Jews of Soviet Russia, established the Ohr Torah High Schools in the United States, and supported the Jewish presence in Israel.

Biography

Rabbi Steven (Shlomo) Riskin was was born on May 28, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York into a non-religious family. He attended a local Haredi Judaism yeshiva by the name of Yeshiva of Brooklyn . He graduated from Yeshiva University in 1960, and became an ordained rabbi under the guidance of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik. In 1963, Rabbi Riskin received his Masters degree in Jewish history. In 1982, Rabbi Riskin received his Ph.D. from New York University's Near Eastern Languages and Literature department. From 1963 until 1977, he lectured and served as an Associate Professor of Tanakh and Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York City.

In 1983, Rabbi Riskin immigrated to Efrat, Israel with his family to become the city's Chief rabbi, a postion he still retains. He also establihsed a netweork of religious schools in Israel under the name Ohr Torah Stone Institutions for both Jewish girls and boys in Israel with hundreds of students enrolled in them.

Quotes

• "Judaism is an optimistic religion, and we believe the Jews are a light unto the nations. If we speak of truth and peace, peace must be predicated on truth... The Bible has three covenants:

1. Abraham established the Jews as a people with an eternal relationship between the land and the people which equals a divine promise (Genesis 15).
2. In Sinai Judaism was established as a religion with 613 commandments - thus the Jews are a holy nation (Exodus 20).
3. In Shechem [Nablus] when the Jews first entered the Land of Israel with Joshua, a convenant of responsibility was established, making Jerusalem the city of this third convenant (Deuteronomy 26/27)."

• "God’s message is of absolute peace. Thou shall not kill, and this should be the Jews' message. The Jews must obliterate the following lies:

1. 'We are occupiers'. Wrong! "Settlers" in Hebrew means "inheritors". At the conclusion of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles provided for establishing eighteen Arab and one Jewish state in the Middle East. From 1918 to 1949, twenty-two Arab states were established. In 1948 Israel was established on 20% of the mandate territory, and the refugee problem began. From 1948 to 1967, Israel won land that was to have been the Jews' by treaty and by right.
2. 'Suicide bombers are freedom fighters'. Wrong! They are not, they are murderers. After Oslo Israel pulled out of Palestinian Arab areas, which led to Arab violence, and showed us what they really were and what they really wanted. Israel's destruction is their goal. We must show them they can't get away with aggression. Islamic fundamentalism has turned 'God' into 'Satan'. Only those with a vision of peace have a right to a state."