Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (born Zalman Schachter, 1924) is a rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement. He became a rabbi through Chabad (Lubavitch), a part of Hasidic Judaism, which itself is a part of Orthodox Judaism.
Over the years his teachings became more and more liberal, and he eventually left Orthodox Judaism altogether. He no longer views halakha (traditional Jewish law) to be normative, and his views on halakha are now closer to what is taught in Reform Judaism or Reconstructionist Judaism.
He maintains a great interest in Kabbalah (esoteric Jewish mysticism), and ecology and environmental ethics. He is considered an extremely controversial figure within the Jewish community, especially for his views on sexuality and Jewish practice. Although he privately ordains his students as rabbis, no mainsream denomination of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative or Reform) recognizes his students as rabbis, and most Orthodox Jews no longer regard him as a rabbinic authority.
Schachter-Shalomi's approach to Judaism is a synthesis of Chabad/Lubavitch and contemporary New Age spirituality, the latter including such disparate influences as the literature of psychedelics, transpersonal psychology, and James Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis. His innovations in Jewish worship (not limited to the Jewish Renewal community) include chanting prayers in English while retaining the traditional Hebrew cantillation, engaging worshippers in theological dialogue, and the introduction of spontaneous movement and dance. In recent years, he has pioneered the practice of "spiritual eldering," working with fellow seniors on coming to terms with aging and training them as spiritual mentors for younger adults.
Schachter-Shalomi has produced a large body of articles, books and cassette recordings. His free-association homiletic style, typical of Hasidic-trained rabbis, and his frequent use of New Age and computer jargon can be a challenge for the first-time reader. His publications include the spiritual practice manuals The First Step (with Donald Gropman, 1983) and Gate to the Heart (1993). The evolution of his thought from traditional Chabad philosophy to Jewish Renewal can be found in his collections of essays and lectures, Paradigm Shift (ed. Ellen Singer, 1993) and Wrapped in a Holy Flame (ed. Nataniel Miles-Yepez, 2003). From Age-ing to Sage-ing (with Ronald Miller, 1995) outlines his "spiritual eldering" work.
A sampling of Schachter-Shalomi's writings can be found at http://www.ohalah.org/RebZalmanOhalah.htm .
See also: RabbiWorks
