Alan Silverstein
{{Short description|American Conservative rabbi and writer}}
Alan Silverstein is an American Conservative rabbi, lecturer, writer, and the spiritual leader of Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, New Jersey. He has served as Vice President of the National Council of Synagogues, President of the International Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement, President of the Masorti Olami, and President of Mercaz Olami.
Education
Alan Silverstein was raised in the Overbrook Park neighborhood of Philadelphia.{{Cite book|last=Allan|first=Meyers|title=The Jewish Community of West Philadelphia|publisher=|year=2001|isbn=|location=|pages=}} He graduated from Central High School in 1966 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Cornell University in 1970 and a Master of Arts degree in Jewish History from Columbia University in 1973.{{cite journal |title=The Cornell Daily Sun |date=2 June 1970 |volume=76 |issue=142}} He was ordained as a Rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1975 and received a Ph.D. in Jewish History from the Seminary's Institute for the Advanced Study in Humanities in 1989.{{cite news |title=Twelve Localities Earn Seminary Degrees |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-jewish-exponent-may-16-1975-p-40/ |agency=Jewish Exponent |date=May 16, 1975}}{{cite web |title=CAI Leadership |url=https://www.agudath.org/cai_leadership |website=Congregation Agudath Israel}}
Career
From 1975-1979, Silverstein served as rabbi at Congregation Tifereth Israel in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania.{{cite news |title=Federation Elects Rabbi Silverstein |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-jewish-exponent-nov-04-1977-p-51/ |agency=Philadelphia Jewish Exponent |date=November 4, 1977}} He became rabbi at Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, New Jersey in 1979.{{cite news |last1=Ginsberg |first1=Johanna R. |title=Why wait for retirement when you can hire now? |url=https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/why-wait-for-retirement-when-you-can-hire-now/ |agency=New Jersey Jewish News |date=September 27, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Bio |url=https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/alan-silverstein/ |website=Times of Israel}} In 2018, Silverstein announced his plans to retire as rabbi of Congregation Agudath Israel by 2021.{{cite web |title=Love's not all you need, but it's a start |url=https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/loves-not-all-you-need-but-its-a-start/ |website=New Jersey Jewish News}}
Silverstein has written and published three books and maintains a blog with the Times of Israel.
= Offices held =
- President, West Essex Clergy Association{{cite news|title=Masorti movement to honor local rabbi|agency=New Jersey Jewish News|url=https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/masorti-movement-to-honor-local-rabbi/}}{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=May 24, 1990|title=RA Selects SIlverstein as Treasurer|work=New Jersey Jewish News|url=https://jhsnj-archives.org/?a=d&d=A19900524-NewJerseyJewishNews-19900524-01.1.15&srpos=3&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN%7ctxTA%7ctxCO%7ctxTY%7ctxTI%7ctxRG%7ctxSG%7ctxSE%7ctxSB%7ctxCT%7ctxIE%7ctxIT%7ctxTE%7ctxLA%7ctxSU%7ctxSP%7ctxDS%7ctxAD%7ctxPR%7ctxTR%7ctxFI-Alan+Silverstein----------|access-date=}}
- President, MetroWest Board of Rabbis
- President, Region of the Rabbinical Assembly New Jersey Region
- President, Coalition of Religious Leaders
- President of The International Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement (1993-1995){{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 8, 1995|title=New Jersey Rabbi Flies to Make Pope Meeting|url=https://www.jta.org/1995/10/08/archive/new-jersey-rabbi-flies-to-make-pope-meeting|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=JTA.org}}
- President of Masorti Olami (2000 - 2005)
- Vice President, National Council of Synagogues
- Member, National Rabbinic Cabinet of the United Jewish Appeal
- Chair, Foundation for Masorti Judaism in Israel (2010-2014){{cite web |title=Busting Myths about Masorti by Prominent Conservative Rabbi, Alan Silverstein |date=21 July 2019 |url=https://masorti.org/myth-busting-by-masorti-rabbi-alan-silverstein/}}
- President, Mercaz Olami (2016- ){{cite news |title=Silverstein again heads Conservative group |url=https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/silverstein-again-heads-conservative-group/#.Vu2So8uxXqC |date=March 16, 2016}}
Published works
- Alternatives to Assimilation: The Response of Reform Judaism to American Culture, 1840–1930 (1994)
- It All Begins With A Date: Jewish Concerns About Intermarriage (1995)
- Preserving Judaism in Your Family After Intermarriage Has Occurred (1995)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.agudath.org Agudath Israel website]
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Category:American Conservative rabbis
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)