David Z. Vaisberg

Senior Rabbi

Rabbi David Z. Vaisberg, M.A.R.E., M.A.H.L. joined Temple B’nai Abraham as Senior Rabbi on July 1, 2019. In this time, in addition to the work of leading services, teaching, community-building, pastoral care, and life cycle events, Rabbi Vaisberg has involved the community in numerous social justice efforts, including partnering with New Jersey Together in community organizing in Essex County, and upgrading TBA’s technological capacity and offerings. Rabbi Vaisberg currently serves on the Central Conference of American Rabbis Responsa Committee and is a chaplain for the Maplewood Police Department.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Rabbi Vaisberg earned his Honours B.A. in Psychology from York University in 2006, while acting and doing construction work for Vanier College Productions and working as Cantorial Soloist for Solel Congregation of Mississauga. Rabbi Vaisberg was ordained from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion’s New York Campus in May 2012. He was a Mandel Fellow and a teaching and research assistant to Rabbi Dr. Eugene Borowitz. Before joining the Temple B’nai Abraham family, Rabbi Vaisberg served as spiritual leader of Temple Emanu-El in Edison, New Jersey, where he also served as President of the local interfaith clergy association and the regional rabbinical association.

Rabbi Vaisberg’s academic interests include Jewish law and rituals, Jewish and Israeli culture and music, Midrash and story-telling, and Talmud. His written work includes “Israel: Projection, Potential, and Self-Actualization” in Stanley Davids and Lawrence Englander’s Fragile Dialogue: New Voices of Liberal Zionism (2018). Rabbi Vaisberg writes for the Times of Israel Blog and the New Jersey Jewish News as well. You can also find his work at davidvaisberg.com.

Rabbi Vaisberg is an accomplished guitarist and singer, an enthusiastic cook, and a long-distance and obstacle course runner.

photo by Jan Press PhotoMedia