Congregation Beth Israel
 

Rabbi David M. Weis was formally installed as religious leader of Congregation Beth Israel of Northfield, New Jersey, on October 28, 1988. Rabbi Weis is the longest serving rabbi in Beth Israel's illustrious history, since the death of Dr. Henry Fischer in 1942.

Previously, Rabbi Weis was Associate Rabbi of Temple Emanu El in Cleveland, Ohio, a post he occupied for five years. He received his B.A. degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1977, and a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, California School, in 1980. He was ordained as a rabbi by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1983, in New York. Rabbi Weis completed a two year certification course in Pastoral Counseling from Case Western Reserve Institute. He also continues his studies by attending the Shalom Hartman Institute's Rabbinic Torah Study Seminar year after year. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his ordination, Rabbi Weis received his Doctor of Divinity degree, by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

While in Cleveland, Rabbi Weis served on the Rabbinic Advisory Board, Jewish Singles Organization, Volunteers in Israel-Cleveland, Hillel Foundation Board of Trustees, and Jewish Family Service. He acted as Rabbinic Counselor for a Sharing Group for Widows and Widowers and Rabbinic Facilitator for Cedar Green Program for Senior Citizens. He also coordinated a Premarital Seminar under the sponsorship of the Cleveland Board of Rabbis and was a member of the Inter-Church Council and the Board of Pastoral Psychology Institute of Case Western Reserve Institute.

Rabbi Weis is very active within both the Jewish and general communities. He is a member of the Mainland Clergy Fellowship, Past President of the South Jersey Board of Rabbis and Cantors, and is very active in interfaith education and dialogue. He was recently honored by being inducted into the prestigious Chapel of the Four Chaplains for his work in interfaith education and cooperation. Rabbi Weis teaches classes in Judaism at area churches, leads a Seder of education at a local church each year, and is often invited to speak from the pulpits of area churches. Rabbi Weis is an adjunct Professor at Richard Stockton College. He also teaches for the Brandeis Auxiliary and many Adult Education classes at the synagogue and for the community.

In the past, Rabbi has served as the Chair of the JCRC, the Operation Exodus Campaign, and as a Vice President of the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Atlantic and Cape May Counties. He served as a co-chair for Spiritual Leadership of the Annual Campaign of the Jewish Community Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties, and is currently the Chair of the Clergy Council at Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point. Rabbi Weis served on the Executive Board of the Rabbinic Cabinet of UJC, and on the boards of Jewish Family Service and the Seashore Gardens Senior Living Center. As a member of the UJA Young Leadership Cabinet, Rabbi Weis served with distinction on its Management and Executive Committees. He was a regional chair of the Mission in 1993, as well as past Education chair. He was the chair of its 1993 Annual Retreat, and chaired the program committee for its Washington Conference in 1996. At the Washington Conference, Rabbi Weis was a keynote speaker to the plenum of 3,000 young Jewish leaders.

Rabbi Weis has been honored at an Israel Bonds dinner, by Seashore Gardens, and was awarded the Harry and Celia Cassman Leadership Award by the Federation in 1994. Rabbi Weis speaks in communities throughout the United States and has published essays and articles in a number of publications, on a broad array of Jewish topics.

Rabbi Weis is married to noted Judaic artist Susan Fischer Weis and has three children, Joshua, Leah and Rebecca.

 

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