Rabbi Beth H Klafter, RJE, Doctor of Divinity
Rabbi Beth Klafter was named Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth David in 2013.
Rabbi Klafter joined Temple Beth David in 2006 as the Director of the Religious School where she was instrumental in revising and reinvigorating the education curriculum and programming for students and their families.
Prior to her arrival at Temple Beth David, Rabbi Klafter served the Long Island Jewish community for many years, having been the Associate Rabbi at Temple Sinai of Roslyn and later the Rabbi Educator at Temple Judea of Manhasset. Rabbi Klafter is also a member of the faculty of the Union of Reform Judaism’s Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA, and has been appointed to the camp’s Educational Think Tank. She has also volunteered as a Chaplain at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.
Rabbi Klafter was ordained at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1988, where she received a Masters in Religious Education as well as a Masters in Hebrew Letters. She studied at the New York University School of Education as well as Brown University where she earned her B.A. in Religious Studies. She was awarded the title of Reform Jewish Educator by the National Association of Temple Educators in 1992. On May 2, 2013, Rabbi Klafter received her Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa, from Hebrew Union College honoring her 25 years in the Rabbinate.
Rabbi Klafter looks forward to bringing her passion for Judaism and her knowledge and experiences to the entire congregation. As a spiritual leader, she is committed to fostering a kehillah kedosha, a sacred community, where all are welcome.
Rabbi Klafter is a member of several professional organizations, including the Central Conference of American Rabbis, where she has served on the Rabbinic Rapid Response Team, Committee on Women in the Rabbinate, and Committee on the Rabbi’s Family; the National Association of Temple Educators, where she crafted professional documents for the organization (need more info); and, the Women’s Rabbinic Network where she served on the Executive Board as the New York Regional Coordinator and as Treasurer.
Rabbi Klafter describes her calling to the rabbinate:
“I realize that I heard the kol d’mama, ‘the still, clear voice,’ from deep within me, emerging with clarity and purpose. I felt a passion for Judaism, for Jewish learning and for Jewish people. That divine calling has empowered me and uplifted me as a rabbi and a human being ever since. The ‘still, clear voice’ in my own soul continues to inspire me as it did years ago. I believe it remains the voice that others will hear when they listen to me. It is a voice of strength and integrity. Through my rabbinate, I strive to touch people’s lives by my words, my actions and my presence. Just as I have found my voice within Judaism, I seek to continue to guide others as their rabbi to find their own voices and thereby transform their lives and our world.”
