Welcome to Congregation Beth Am! It’s an honor and a joy to serve as the Rabbi of this synagogue, so I’d like to take a moment to tell you what I love about it.

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So many people have commented to me, over the years, what a friendly synagogue this is. It’s true — we’re small enough that most people know each other, which means that our congregation often feels like an extended family. But, it also means that we know right away when someone new walks through our doors, and we’re always eager to make them feel at home.

 

But, I also love that we are a congregation which understands that being friendly is a good start, but it isn’t enough. So, we’re a congregation that strives to be holy. We want to help each person find a Jewish life which is deeply meaningful for them. We are dedicated to learning — whether a member is 8 or 80, we know that our Jewish learning is never complete. We are dedicated to creating services that are spiritually powerful and deeply moving. And, we are a synagogue that pushes its members to do Jewish things — to live Jewishly, not just to talk about Judaism.

 

I come from the world of science – I have a degree in Computer Science, and I worked as a professional Computer Programmer before entering Rabbinical School (I was ordained from HUC-JIR, the Reform Movement’s Seminary, in New York in 2001), and I still believe that the best religion is one which challenges us to use our rationality and intellect, as well as our spirit. I believe that science and religion are not enemies (or, at least, they shouldn’t be!), but rather need to both be respected. I believe that by embracing both, we can be better at both.

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I welcome a chance to get to know you – if you’re interested in learning more about Congregation Beth Am, or about Judaism, please give me a call, or send me an e-mail. Our doors are always open to you – we’re looking forward to welcoming you to our community.

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L’Shalom,

 

Rabbi Jason Rosenberg

(813) 968-8511 ext. 25

RabbiRosenberg@BethAmTampa.org

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