Pre-Yomim Tovim with the Chief Rabbi of South Africa

Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein is the current Chief Rabbi of South Africa and a global Jewish leader.

Affectionately referred to as ‘Chief’ and a ‘spiritual entrepreneur’ he has launched and led a number of innovative social projects with global reach and impact.

Locally, his Bill of Responsibilities – adopted by the Department of Education and taught in schools nationwide – has shown a new generation of young South Africans the importance of compassion, and respect for the dignity and wellbeing of others. CAP, a unique community-driven crime-fighting initiative that protects 30,000 homes and upwards of 250,000 people, and has reduced contact crime in its area of operation by between 80 and 90 percent and Sinai Indaba, the largest annual Torah convention of its kind.

Two of his local projects have been embraced and championed by world-jewry: Generation Sinai, an annual family learning experience as well as The Shabbat Project which unites Jews annually in over 1000 cities on an unprecedented scale.

The youngest person to ever be elected to the position, Chief Rabbi Goldstein is a strong advocate for creative, proactive leadership and effective partnership to find unique solutions to the challenges of our time.

He has featured on The Algemeiner’s top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life multiple times and has a regular study session with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. He is an executive member of South Africa’s National Religious Leaders Council, through which he is involved with strengthening inter-faith relations in the country between Jews, Christian, Muslims, Hindus and other faiths, as well as engaging with the government on national policy matters.

A qualified Jewish law judge, Rabbi Goldstein has published several books including African Soul Talk: When Politics is not Enough (with Dumani Mandela); Defending the Human Spirit: Jewish Law’s Vision for a Moral Society; Sefer Mishpat Tzedek (a detailed analysis of Torah business law and ethics, with particular focus on competition law); and The Legacy: Teachings for Life from the Great Lithuanian Rabbis (with Rabbi Berel Wein).

The Chief Rabbi has a PhD in Human Rights and Constitutional Law and is a regular columnist for the Jerusalem Post and aish.com.