Inspiring Rabbis 2016: 32 Men and Women Who Move Us Most
Rabbi Dan solves problems before others realize they exist. While the rest of the Jewish community was organizing bar nights and singles events to fill a void in the social lives of young pluralistic and secular Jews, Rabbi Dan worried that there was a spiritual void in the lives of this demographic that community leaders…
Rabbi Wilhelm is my biggest inspiration, role model and friend. He is the best example I know of on how to be a compassionate leader. Over the past 11 years, he has been the co-director of the Rohr Chabad House at the University of Colorado along with his wife, Leah. Yisroel and Leah are equal…
David created Romemu out of nothing. In less than 10 years, Romemu has become a fast-growing community of committed seekers drawing across faith traditions. The prayer services are incredibly moving, the learning opportunities are very strong, and neo-Hasidic joy permeates much of what we do. Best of all is the growing sense of community with…
Rabbi Joey — cerebral, deep, a bookaholic — has somehow managed to get this shpilkes-addled, not-so-erudite bike punk musician to care about Israel, strive to make a difference for the less fortunate in her own community and abroad, and dig deeper into a Torah that previously felt like it was shutting me out because of…
I’ve known Amichai for 10 years, and he continues to grow as a brilliant and empathetic leader, first of StorahTelling and then of Lab/Shul. He truly cares about each individual in his flock and seems to have limitless love and attention for everyone. He uses his own feelings, perceptions and life experiences to understand what…
As one of Rabbi Yanklowitz’s regular students, I have found a home for Jewish learning in my post-retirement years that I never thought existed. All my previous attempts at learning in the Jewish community pale by comparison. The single greatest lesson I have learned is something he says often: We need to give more to…
Through the gift of her poetry and prose, as posted on her highly popular “Velveteen Rabbi” blog site, Rabbi Rachel Barenblat inspires thousands of followers all around the world in addition to her congregants at Congregation Beth Israel. I would never say that I have been a “poetry person,” but I find that Rachel’s gifts…
As Director of Spiritual Life at JGS Lifecare, Rabbi Devorah Jacobson supports seniors and their families spiritually during difficult transitions of aging. She radiates empathy and compassion and provides strength and hope. She is responsible for the spiritual well-being of residents of all faiths in long-term skilled nursing and assisted-living facilities and also in memory…
Rabbi Cece started working at our synagogue when I was a freshman in high school, four years ago. I had been a madricha and attending our teen program for a year before she arrived, and once she took over the education director position, I saw changes immediately. She connected so well with kids of all…
Rabbi Jacobs made it possible for me to establish my dream of creating a kosher food pantry in Plantation. I am not a religious guy and was never really involved in Judaism. But she never judged me. She just accepts me, and she understood my passion — to feed people. She has so much experience…
Rabbi Liz Bolton is the most inspirational and beloved rabbi I have ever met. In the three years since she arrived in Ottawa, she has transformed our congregation, grown relationships both to the entire Jewish community and with a broad array of other faiths and sparked a new enthusiasm for both Judaism and social justice…
