In August, 2019, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg began serving Congregation B’nai Israel as Interim Rabbi. He leads services, celebrations, education, life-cycle events, and programming. He is also available to members in need of pastoral care. Rabbi Dov is committed to the process of healing our congregation, welcoming and understanding interfaith families, and supporting those in our community who are traveling the path as Conservative Jews.

Rabbi Dov is guided by his convictions in the spiritual beauty, eternal relevance, and deep humanity of Judaism for our 21st century lives and times. He is an experienced congregational rabbi who seeks to provide comfort for those in grief, bring hope to those who are ill, and support those who seek to enhance their Jewish lives.

Rabbi Dov grew up in Southern California, has spent many years in Israel, and is a fluent Hebrew speaker. His educational background includes a BA from UC Berkeley in religious studies, graduate studies at Harvard University in comparative religion, and rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. His continuing education includes being a rabbinic fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute of Jerusalem and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

Rabbi Dov has served two congregations in Southern California, and leading Congregation Beth Shalom in Seattle from 1988 to 2004. He founded Panim Hashadot—New Faces of Judaism, a community initiative to bring people together through Shabbat Hospitality. In his career, he has converted more than 500 people to Judaism by their choice. Rabbi Dov is the proud father of three grown children, Zachary, Moriel, and Fay.

He has volunteered for the National Alliance for Mental Illness as a peer educator and facilitator for caregivers. Rabbi Dov enjoys biking, hiking, baseball, group singing, meeting new people, consuming current news, and reading the history of the Jewish people and the world.

Rabbi Gartenberg can meet with you at the synagogue to answer questions or discuss important issues.  You may reserve his time in 30- or 60-minute intervals:

Tuesdays and Wednesdays,  12:00 – 6:00 pm

Schedule a meeting in one of two ways:

1)  Call Anna at the office, (505) 266-0155 

OR

2)  Book online using the links below–

For a 30-minute appointment:

https://calendly.com/rabbidovappts/30min

For a 60-minute appointment:

https://calendly.com/rabbidovappts/60

FOR EMERGENCIES: contact Rabbi Gartenberg on his mobile phone: (206) 739-9924.

Note: Unless it is an emergency, please do not contact him on a Monday when it is Rabbi’s day off.