Rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

Jason Klein is the Senior Rabbi of

Congregation Beit Simchat Torah Congregation Beit Simchat Torah ("CBST") is a non-denominational Jewish, pluralistic, progressive, and LGBTQ+ synagogue located at 130 West 30th Street in Manhattan, New York City. The congregation was founded in 1973 by and for LGBTQ people, ...

. Klein became the first openly gay man chosen to head a national rabbinical association of one of the major Jewish denominations in the United States in 2013, when he was chosen as president of the

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) founded in 1974, is the professional association of rabbis affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism. It has approximately 300 members, most of whom are graduates of the Reconstructionist Rabbinica ...

. He was also the first Hillel director to hold the presidency, the chief volunteer position of the organization. As of his election as president, Klein was the executive director of Hillel at UMBC, the

University of Maryland, Baltimore County The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a Public university, public research university in Catonsville, Maryland named after Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County. It had a fall 2022 enrollment of 13,991 students, 61 un ...

, a post he held from 2006 until 2013. He served as president of the

for two years—until 2015. As of July 2013 he became the Director of the Center for Jewish Life at JCP Downtown, the Jewish Community Project of Lower Manhattan, where he served until 2018. Beginning in 2018, Klein served on the clergy and executive team of Temple Israel, Minneapolis, as the Director of Lifelong Learning at Temple Israel, Minneapolis. Klein served for one year as the campus

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

and Associate Chaplain of the University for the Jewish Community at

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

. Klein became the Senior Rabbi of

Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Congregation Beit Simchat Torah ("CBST") is a non-denominational Jewish, pluralistic, progressive, and LGBTQ+ synagogue located at 130 West 30th Street in Manhattan, New York City. The congregation was founded in 1973 by and for LGBTQ people, ...

in July 2024, succeeding Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum. Klein grew up in East Brunswick and Montclair, both in New Jersey, graduated from Columbia University in 1997, and was ordained by the

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) is a Jewish seminary in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. It is the only seminary affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism. It is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Assoc ...

in 2002. He lives in Manhattan.

Writing

* "Hanukkah" in ''A Guide to Jewish Practice: Volume 2 -- Shabbat and Holidays'' (Teutsch), 2014 * "Parashat Bo" in ''Torah Queeries'' (Drinkwater et al.), 2009 * "Queer Ritual on Campus" with Rabbi Mychal Copeland in ''The Hillel LGBTQ Resource Guide'', 2007 * "How I’m thinking about Hanukkah when Israel is at war — and campus tensions are high" for "Jewish Telegraphic Agency", 2023

Teaching, media, and public appearances

* Greetings, Inauguration of Rabbi Deborah Waxman, 2014 * Contributor, My Fellow American (is Muslim) Project, * "Beshalach," Torah Talk, ''Jewish Journal'' * Park Avenue Podcast, "How We Talk About Judaism" pilot * Selected Podcasts, Temple Talks

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Jason Living people Columbia College (New York) alumni Reconstructionist Rabbinical College alumni Presidents of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association LGBTQ rabbis LGBTQ people from New Jersey American Reconstructionist rabbis 1975 births 21st-century American rabbis Gay Jews