Introducing Temple’s New Rabbi

Temple is excited to announce that Michael Lewis will be joining our clergy team as an assistant rabbi beginning June 28, 2022. He is expected to complete his ordination at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s Los Angeles campus in May.

“The Search Committee was impressed with Rabbi Lewis’ warmth and intelligence, his deep passion for bringing people together, his keen interest in history and his lifelong connection to Judaism,” said Rabbi David Stern. “I am delighted to welcome him to the clergy team.”

While at HUC in Los Angeles, Rabbi Lewis has served as a rabbinic intern at Leo Baeck Temple, completed clinical pastoral training at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, led High Holy Days services and programs in Port Angeles, Washington, and served as a student rabbi at Congregation B’nai Israel in Sacramento and Congregation B’nai Torah in Brentwood, California. He has also worked in Jewish and secular summer camps and the NFTY in Israel program.

“We were fortunate to interview many great candidates, and are thrilled that Rabbi Lewis is such a great fit for Temple,” said President Beth Gold.

Rabbi Lewis received his bachelor’s degree in political economy and political science from Tulane University in 2013, where he was student body president. He spent the next three years in political life in the Washington, D.C. area.

He was drawn to the rabbinate during a trip to Israel. “I loved what I was doing, but I realized after a certain point I was missing community building and connecting with people. I saw the rabbinate as a path to allow me to learn, teach, be a community leader, to help the Jewish people grow,” said Rabbi Lewis, whose portfolio at Temple will focus on youth, young adults, interfaith families and our LGBTQ community.

“I feel a lot of excitement about the Jewish future, and I look forward to the work we’ll do together to add our voice to this 3,000-year-old conversation we call the Jewish people.”