Scholars-In-Residence

At Society Hill Synagogue, our Scholar-in-Residence program is a cornerstone of our commitment to lifelong learning and spiritual growth. These weekends provide our community with the unique opportunity to engage deeply with thought leaders, rabbis, and scholars who are shaping Jewish life today. Through thought-provoking lectures, dynamic conversations, and immersive Shabbat experiences, we explore timeless Jewish wisdom while grappling with contemporary issues.
Our Scholar-in-Residence weekends enrich our congregation, inspire meaningful connections, and spark fresh perspectives on what it means to live a Jewish life in the modern world. Whether delving into spiritual practices, tackling social justice challenges, or rediscovering ancient traditions, these moments remind us of the beauty and vitality of learning together as a community.

Check out our list of upcoming and past Scholars-In-Residence:

Spring 2025 — Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld

Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, who will be with us for the Shabbat of March 28-29, is the President of Hebrew College, a pluralistic institution housing the largest non-Orthodox rabbinical school in the country, also offering programs leading to cantorial ordination, and master’s degrees in Jewish education and Jewish studies, and providing community adult, youth, and professional development study opportunities. 
Prior to her 20-plus years serving as faculty member, then Dean, and now President of Hebrew College, she spent 15 years working in pluralistic settings as a Hillel rabbi at Tufts, Yale, and Harvard universities. She is the co-editor of two volumes of women’s writings on Passover, The Women’s Seder Sourcebook, and The Women’s Passover Companion, and is a brilliant writer, speaker, and thinker on issues confronting the Jewish world.

Fall 2024 — Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, who was with us for the Shabbat of December 6-7, is celebrated for her transformative 32-year leadership at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in New York City, the largest LGBTQIA+ synagogue in the world. She began her rabbinate during the height of the AIDS crisis, offering a compassionate pastoral and spiritual presence to a deeply impacted community. Under her guidance, CBST grew into an inclusive, dynamic space that merges spirituality with social justice, becoming a beacon of LGBTQIA+ inclusion within Judaism.
Rabbi Kleinbaum’s rabbinate is marked by a profound love of Judaism and Yiddishkeit, as well as a pragmatic commitment to speaking across differences and driving meaningful change. Early in her career, she served as Assistant Director of the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. Beyond her work at CBST, she has been appointed by President Biden to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, served as a Commissioner on New York City’s Commission on Human Rights, and held roles on faith-based advisory councils for Mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams. Rabbi Kleinbaum also serves on the Executive Committees of Governor Hochul’s Office of Faith and Non-Profit Development Services and the New York State Interfaith Council.
For more about Rabbi Kleinbaum’s remarkable career, check out The New York Times’ recent feature on Rabbi Kleinbaum.

Spring 2024 — Reb Simcha Raphael

Have you ever wondered what Jews believe happens to us after we die?

There is a deep and rich Jewish theology relating to the afterlife, and no modern scholar has done more comprehensive work gathering the various teachings of Jewish beliefs on the afterlife than Reb Simcha Raphael.
Reb Raphael is not only a scholar of Jewish theology but also a practitioner of grief counseling, and he has authored important works on the care and thoughtfulness that go into accompanying those grieving the loss of loved ones. His balance of spiritual insight and practical guidance is immense.
Click here to read Rabbi Kamesar’s introduction of Reb Simcha Raphael.

Fall 2023 — Rabbi Michael Strassfeld

 
Rabbi Michael Strassfeld has been a transformative figure in American Judaism for over 50 years. He is best known as a co-editor of The Jewish Catalog, a groundbreaking DIY guide to Jewish living that redefined engagement with Jewish tradition for a generation. He has served as a rabbi at Congregation Ansche Chesed and the Society for the Advancement of Judaism (SAJ) in New York City, and he was a founding leader of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, which integrates mindfulness with Jewish practice.
His new book, Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto for the 21st Century, explores how Judaism must evolve to meet the spiritual needs of our rapidly changing world. Rabbi Strassfeld draws on Jewish history to argue that the faith is at another turning point, similar to the transformation after the destruction of the Second Temple. He offers a bold vision for reimagining Jewish practice, focusing on connection, meaning, and freedom, while outlining practical steps to create a more vibrant and relevant Judaism today.