Rabbi Emanuel Rackman died at home in New York, and along with the Jewish people, the world of relgious leadership, the State of Israel, and the United States are all the poorer for his loss. He was a remarkable leader who championed the notion that a faith was there not only to serve the faithful, but to empower the faithful to serve the world.
This story teaches much about his spiritual depth and moral courage.
In accordance with family tradition, he planned to earn his living as a lawyer rather than as a rabbi, but on entering the Air Force in 1943, he was made a chaplain. While in Germany, where he was military aide to the European Theater commander’s special adviser on Jewish affairs, his encounters with Holocaust victims caused him to reconsider his career.
In 1951, he was called up for active duty from the Air Force Reserve, but found that his security clearance had been revoked because of his outspoken opposition to the death penalties handed down in the Rosenberg spying case and his support for the radical singer Paul Robeson.
Given the choice between accepting an honorable discharge or facing a military trial, he opted for a trial. He not only won acquittal but earned a promotion from major to lieutenant-colonel.
Rabbi Rackman was a hero. He stood for openess and inclusivness in a world too-oftern dominated by closed-mindedness and exclusivity. Was he always in the right? That is for others to decide. But his legacy of learning combined with compassion and love of humanity are a gift to us all.
May his memory be blessed.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
posted December 5, 2008 at 1:05 pm
He stood for openess and inclusivness in a world too-oftern dominated by closed-mindedness and exclusivity
Would that more people shared this outlook on life!!
posted December 6, 2008 at 6:09 pm
We have lost then at least two special people this week. Rabbi Rackman sounds like he was a wonderful man. The life of another important Jews was ended tragically recently. He too was a hero,
Dr Daniel Klinman, origianlly of Schenectady NY only 39 was killed in a tragic accident. He lived in California and was a important Jewish activist for Israel and other things he passionatly agreed with. You can read about his loss at many Jewish sites, including the ADL,and others including the San Francisco Chronicle expecially the Bay area. His is a great loss to the Jewish people all over the world as well as all people.
May both their memories be blessed and their work be carried on by others.
Hugs,
Laura
posted December 6, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Thanks to Laura for sharing this sad news. While I did not know Dr. Klinman, This forum is a community and when one of our members feels a loss, we share in your mourning and offer support at a time of loss.
May all who mourn the passing of Daniel Klinman find a place of comfort in the days and weeks ahead.
posted December 7, 2008 at 11:51 am
I knew Rabbi Rackman when he was Provost at Yeshiva, and I was a rabbinical student. He was a true mentch and was respected by all, even those who didn’t agree with him- a far cry from todays reality. May his memory be for a blessing, and his contributions to our history be for future generations.
posted December 9, 2008 at 10:22 am
Why would Rackman speak in favor of Robeson, when Robeson lied about the Soviet oppression of Jews?
Robeson even kept quite when he found out the Soviets had murdered a Jewish activist!
More details on Wikipedia, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson#Itzik_Feffer
posted December 9, 2008 at 10:27 am
The people close to Dr Klinman are convinced he was murdered for his outspoken presence in defense of Israel at radical San Francisco gatherings. He was found in the bottom of an elevator shaft that was locked for repairs in a building that was largely empty for the weekend in which he had been taking a class in Arabic, on a weekend in which there was no class scheduled. Police speculation is that the intelligent professional accidentally entered the locked door to the out-of-service elevator on a weekend that he had no reason to be in the buiding, entered the out-of-service elevator and climbed out rather than leaving the way he entered, and fell to his death. Oops. It’s a war out there.