Joel Mosbacher has served as our rabbi here in New Jersey since 2001. He was born and raised in suburban Chicago . He spent 13 summers at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) summer camp in Wisconsin as a camper and staff member. He and his wife, Elyssa, met at OSRUI and were married in 1992. They are the proud parents of Ari and Lev.

 Rabbi Mosbacher earned his BA with a double major in Philosophy and Hebrew and Semetic Studies from the University of Wisconsin . He was ordained in June 1998 from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati , Ohio . After his ordination, he served as one of the rabbis at Temple Emanu-El in Atlanta , Georgia from 1998-2001. He recently earned a Doctorate of Ministry with a focus on Pastoral Counseling from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

 Rabbi Mosbacher is committed to a three-part vision for his rabbinate:

• Helping individuals further their own Jewish journeys
• Helping families make Judaism a central focus of their everyday lives
• Helping to create a Jewish community in which the leadership and membership

can make Jewish demands on each other, so that together the congregation can be a force for change in the world.

In addition to his rabbinical duties, Rabbi Mosbacher enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, playing golf, and reading detective novels.

Click here for Rabbi's sermon on Our Big Dreams, Yom Kippur 5770
Click here for Rabbi's sermon on Asking Forgiveness, Yom Kippur 5770
Click here for Rabbi's sermon on Health Care, Rosh HaShanah 5770
Click here for Rabbi's sermon on Fear, erev Rosh HaShanah 5770
Click here for Rabbi's sermon on Forgiveness, Yom Kippur 5769
Click here for Rabbi's Lincoln sermon, Rosh HaShanah 5769

Click here for sermons and speeches by others from this High Holy Day year of 5769

Check the blog entries from Rabbi Mosbacher and our intrepid explorers as they made they way through Israel on the trip of a lifetime here.

CLICK HERE for Rabbi's sermon on the Iraq War, April 6, 2007

CLICK HERE for Rabbi's letter and photos from Mississippi, September 26, 2005

See the Rabbi's current web links on the Reform Movement activities