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- This page and all derivatives is/are a continued work in progress. Please send a message for any corrections and those will be considered and/or actioned as soon as possible.
- Just because the below authorities wearing Techeiles are listed doesn’t mean we have contact info on all of them. This is for informational purposes only.
- Hebrew Name: יצחק מאיר סקובאק
- String Ratio: Tosafot Ratio
- Tying Method: Tosafos R' Bentzion Halberstam, Vilna Gaon (GR”A) Method
- How We Know: Picture(s), Saw in Person, Told me Directly, Personally Tied for User
- Date Born: May 15, 1953
- Location Born: New York
- Current Location: Toronto, ON
- Date Passed: Toronto, ON
Type of wearer: Anti Missionary, Canadian/Toronto Rabbis, Rabbi
Affiliation: Centrist Orthodox, Charedi, Dati Leumi, Modern Orthodox, Yeshivish Modern
You don’t meet many people who’ve been fighting for Jewish identity as long—and as fiercely—as Rabbi Michael Skobac. But he’s not just in the fight—he’s one of its generals.
These days, Rabbi Skobac serves as Director of Education and Counselling for Jews for Judaism Canada, where he guides individuals and communities through the rough waters of missionary groups, cults, and confused ideologies. His job? Helping people keep their Jewish soul intact. And he’s been doing it with conviction and calm clarity since way before the internet made every argument a Google search away.
Back in the ‘70s, Rabbi Skobac began his journey in outreach—well before “kiruv” became a buzzword. With roots in Northwestern University and Yeshiva University, he’s got one foot in the secular world and one firmly planted in Torah. He understands both sides—and that’s what makes him so effective.
In 1983, he dove into full-time counter-missionary work, launching the New York branch of Jews for Judaism. Whether on college campuses or community centers, he became a go-to resource for Jews feeling pressured or just plain confused by slick missionary groups. He even consulted for the New York Jewish Community Relations Council, helping entire cities respond to growing missionary pressure.
But it’s not just talk. Rabbi Skobac put out courses, seminars, and practical materials that continue to be used all over the world. His Counter-Missionary Survival Seminar and the wildly popular Missionary Impossible: The Counter-Missionary Survival Guide are real tools—ones that have helped thousands of Jews not only defend their beliefs, but reconnect with them.
He’s also no stranger to a mic. With radio, TV, and public appearances under his belt, and partnerships with organizations like the Toronto Board of Rabbis, Rabbi Skobac brings this work into the mainstream—without watering it down. His lectures are known for being clear, thought-provoking, and, yes, sometimes even a little bit fun.
Through it all, his mission has stayed the same: Protect Jewish identity. Keep Jews Jewish. Not by yelling or debating, but by teaching, clarifying, and giving people the tools they need to think for themselves.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about a theological conversation or wondered how to explain Jewish beliefs in a world full of noise, there’s a good chance Rabbi Skobac already created something that’ll help.
Original Facebook post on Nov. 26, 2014:
“I began wearing my Tziztzit with Techelet in July. Finally redid my Shabbat /Yom Tov tallit yesterday. Next up will be my weekday Tallit. Glad I’m finally doing this.”
And in response to: “Rabbi, I have been putting this off because of all the messy groups. What made you finally do this?”
“Let’s face it, it is in the Torah. Until recently, it wasn’t clear that we had the actual techelet color – but the most recent research seems to be the real deal. I’m not going to stop following the Torah just because others are attempting to hijack it.”
It should also be noted that Rabbi Skobac started out with Radzyner strings due to cost, but in recent years completely switched over to murex trunculus strings.
