43. Marc Schneier

Marc Schneier is known as the Rabbi to the Stars, and for good reason. He is founder of Hampton Synagogue, which boasts members with last names like Spielberg and Lauder, as well as the Foundation for Ethic Understanding, which is chaired by Russell Simmons. But the description, while accurate, is reductive. Schneier might have glitzy connections but he knows how to leverage them for good use, both home and abroad. To wit, earlier this year when Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas referred publicly to the Holocaust as “the most heinous crime to have occurred against humanity in the modern era,” it sent shockwaves throughout the political and religious world. As it turns out, the one whispering in the ear of President Abbas was none other than Long Island’s own Rabbi Schneier. He has made a career and name for himself getting people outside of their comfort zones to address our differences by recognizing our similarities. His recent book, co-authored with Imam Shamsi Ali, is titled Sons of Abraham and drives home the point that we are all from the same creator. With tensions exploding into conflict around the globe, we can only hope that Rabbi Schneier finds a global congregation willing to listen.