Contact Rabbi Adler rabbiadler@adathisraelnj.org
Rabbi Benjamin Adler, has been the spiritual leader of Adath Israel Congregation for the last eight years, since arriving in July 2014. He is passionate about being present and guiding individuals and families through the sweetness, sorrows, challenges, and opportunities of Jewish life. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of the tradition and the progressive values of modern Judaism, he has spent years building and sustaining warm, committed, and caring communities that support each member as they find their own unique spiritual path.
A graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City where he earned a master’s degree in Jewish Philosophy, Rabbi Adler also studied at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, he graduated cum laude from Columbia University with a BA in History.
Before entering rabbinical school, he worked for Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in New York City and spent time working in the digital media world. Rabbi Adler has served congregations in Rockaway, New Jersey, Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Greenport, New York.
He has served as president of the Board of Rabbis of Princeton Mercer Bucks, vice president of the New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly, on the board of trustees of the Gottesman RTW Academy, and on the Religious Pluralism committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey. Rabbi Adler co-founded the Rockaway Interfaith Community, worked with the New Jersey Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee and Clergy of Lawrence Township, and helped plan a conference that trained Conservative rabbis in the skills of community organizing.
When he is not teaching, preaching, and leading his congregation, Rabbi Adler can probably be found following the San Antonio Spurs, reading, watching a good movie or TV show, fixing things around the house, or on the slopes in the winter. He is married to Lisa Adler and they have three children: Ronen, Jonah, and Miya.
Photo credit: Mike Schwartz
Click on the title of the articles below to read on Rabbi Adler’s website
- Stand Up to Hate March 30, 2023You may have seen a new advertising campaign this week called Stand Up to Jewish Hate, funded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The ads are part of his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism along with partners in the Jewish communal establishment. The campaign includes a blue square emoji meant to take up 2.4% of […]
- Finding Inspiration March 23, 2023Buried deep in the American Jewish psyche is the notion that Hebrew school is an experience that must be borne, not enjoyed. Unlike all the non-Jewish children who got to play outside after school and sleep in on Sundays, we had to go to up to seven hours of school upon school each week. In […]
- Values Over Outcome March 16, 2023One of the great conflicts in politics is between process and content. One can vigorously argue in favor of democracy, transparency, and accountability, but sometimes the result is not desired. In other words, there is a difference between advocating for your values and advocating for the outcome you want. Both Israel and America, to different […]
- Texas Jewboys Unite March 9, 2023As a Jew from Texas, I love any stories that combine the two communities in which I was raised. While many people from the major Jewish centers in America are shocked to learn that there are Jews in Texas, our people have a long and proud history there, and today there is a thriving Jewish […]
- The Right Balance March 2, 2023Where does power and authority lie in the Jewish tradition? The answer to this question has varied throughout history, but fundamentally, God is the source of law and commandment. In the Biblical period, the priests were the intermediaries between human and divine. Beginning with the Mishnah and Talmud, rabbis took on that role, but in […]
- Good Book February 23, 2023Why do we read the Torah the way we do? By that I mean, why is it that we read each week from a parchment scroll that contains only the consonants of the text, and why do we do so by chanting the words in a particular melody? In this system we have two traditions, […]
- Boundary Issues February 16, 2023When I studied in Israel, our instructor in practical Jewish law had a rather quirky approach to the subject. In general, he held that the Talmud was authoritative and that any rabbinical codes, commentary, and responsa that followed could not be relied upon. As a result, even a figure of such stature as Maimonides would […]
- Geological Connection February 9, 2023The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria this week has killed over 20,000 people as of this writing. The devastation and loss of life is astounding and heartbreaking. Families and communities will be in mourning for a long time as the region struggles to rebuild. The lone bright spot in the tragedy is the opportunity […]
- Accidents Happen February 2, 2023We often say “accidents happen” as a way of avoiding blame. If we went about life worrying about every broken glass or fender bender, the anxiety would be overwhelming. There is a certain relief that comes from the notion that we cannot completely control what happens in the world. But what about accidents that result […]
- Accommodations vs. Rights January 26, 2023Ask any observant adult Jew what calendar year is the best and they will tell you: any year (such as 2023) where the first day of Rosh Hashanah is a Saturday. Why? Because in that case, they will only have to miss one day, Yom Kippur, during the Hebrew month of Tishrei, and thereby avoid […]