Fishel Jacobs


Fishel Jacobs is an American-Israeli rabbi, martial artist, ex-Israel prison service officer, author, and speaker.

Early years and education

Jacobs was born in 1956 in Brooklyn, raised in Vermont,and has lived in Israel since 1979. In 1974, Jacobs earned a black belt in karate from the International Tang Soo Do Association. He graduated from the University of Vermont.
Jacobs holds a PhD degree from the Israel Department of Religion, and completed training as a Rabbinic attorney
from the Harry Fischel Institute for Talmudic Research. In 2006, he was promoted to Eighth Degree Black Belt Master Instructor by Dr. Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim.

Work

After spending fourteen years studying in the rabbinical school, Tomchei Temimim, in Kfar Chabad, Israel, Jacobs served as emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneersohn from 1998 to 2007, and the Chabad-Lubavitch Campus chaplain at Tel Aviv University. Concurrently, from 1992 until 2005 he served as a full-time chaplain, a staff-officer with the rank of Major, in the Israel Prison Service.
In 2005, Jacobs published the first book describing life within the IPS, republished in 2016 under the title Coffee Melts Bars: My Israeli Prison Career. He is also the author of the Two Kings series of children's books.
Jacobs is a devout Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi and speaker. He has published ten non-fiction books, including works on difficult areas of practical Talmudic law. His interviews, articles and columns have appeared in Jewish and mainstream media.
Since retiring, Jacobs spends his time publishing, answering questions in Jewish law, and speaking. Jacobs endorses and is the responding rabbi for numerous websites which deal in practical Talmudic law. He continues to perform karate demonstrations while continuing to speak at college campuses, youth groups, communities and corporations.

Personal life

Jacobs is married to Miriam, the Director of Tan"ach division of Beth Rivkah Seminary, Kfar Chabad. They have seven children.

Publications