Jacob Reinowitz (1818 – 17 May 1893), also known as Reb Yankele, was a British rabbi and dayan.

Jacob Reinowitz was born in 1818 in Wilkowisk, Poland (now Vilkaviškis, Lithuania), descended from a long line of rabbis and scholars.^[1]

He assumed the role of rabbi in his hometown at the age of twenty-eight and served in this capacity for thirty years. In 1876, he relocated to London, where he accepted the position of preacher at the Talmud Torah in Whitechapel.^[2] His erudition and dedication in the East End of London attracted the attention of Chief Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler, leading to his appointment as a member of the London Beth Din.^[1]

Among Reinowitz's students were Simeon Singer, Hermann Adler, and Moses Hyamson.^[1]

Reinowitz is believed to have been the inspiration for the character "Reb Shemuel" in Israel Zangwill's work, Children of the Ghetto.^[3]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Jacobs, Joseph; Lipkind, Goodman (1905). "Reinowitz, Jacob (Reb Yankele)". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 368.