About Donniel Hartman
Born 1958. Donniel Hartman is an Israeli rabbi and philosopher.
Donniel Hartman (; born October 13, 1958) is an Israeli Modern Orthodox rabbi and author. He is President of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.
Biography Hartman was born in New York to Barbara and David Hartman. When he was 13 years old, his family immigrated to Israel.
He studied at Yeshivat Netiv Meir and Yeshivat Har Etzion. Enlisted in the Armored Corps where he commanded a tank and fought in the First Lebanon War. Following the war, Hartman returned to the United States where he studied for a master's degree and served as a rabbi at a community center in New Jersey. in the United States and Canada. In 2009, he spoke at the Grand Valley State University Conference, "Religion and the Challenges of Modernity." In the 1990s, he was scholar in residence at the Jewish Community Center of the Palisades in New Jersey. He was described by a Reform Judaism organization as a thinker "whose thoughts, observations, and analysis of Israeli society are radical and refreshing."
Hartman has established a program at the Shalom Hartman Institute that will lead to the ordination of rabbis - men and women - outside of existing Orthodox rabbinical seminaries in Israel.
He has argued for the need for Israelis to accept a two-state solution that recognizes Palestinian interests and to provide a "multiple narrative" for Israel that accepts non-Jewish Israelis.
He has said that Israel and Diaspora Jewry must "rethink" their relationship.
In 2007, Donniel Hartman founded a religious high school for girls, the Midrashiya, whose curriculum includes "a critical approach to the study of Jewish texts," volunteer work, and a sex-education curriculum, "one of the first ever among religious schools in Israel."
Published works Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself, 2016 [dead link] The Boundaries of Judaism (Continuum Books, 2007) Judaism and the Challenges of Modern Life, Co-Editor with Moshe Halbertal (Continuum Books, 2007) "Mishpatim: A Man in Public," in The Modern Men's Torah Commentary: New Insights from Jewish Men on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions, Jeffrey K. Salkin, Ed. (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2009) Speaking iEngage: Creating a New Narrative Regarding the Significance of Israel for Jewish Life (Shalom Hartman Institute, 2013) ASIN: B00HBAYLSY [dead link] Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself (Beacon, 2016) [dead link]
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Important facts
People in Donniel Hartman's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Donniel Hartman?
Israeli rabbi and philosopher
When was Donniel Hartman born?
Donniel Hartman was born on 13 October 1958 in New York City.
What is Donniel Hartman's occupation?
Donniel Hartman is a rabbi and philosopher.
What nationality is Donniel Hartman?
Donniel Hartman is Israeli.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Donniel Hartman. https://biography.guide/donniel-hartman/
MLA: "Donniel Hartman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/donniel-hartman/.
Chicago: "Donniel Hartman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/donniel-hartman/.
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