OUR RABBIS
RABBI MOSHE SMOLKIN
Senior Rabbi
(he/him/his)
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Email: rabbismolkin@gmail.com
Rabbi Smolkin comes to Adath Israel from Lexington, Kentucky, where he served as the rabbi at Ohavay Zion Synagogue for 10 years. He grew up in Houston, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico and holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Brandeis University and a M.A.T. in Mathematics Education from Tufts University. He enjoyed teaching high school mathematics for five years in Boston, Massachusetts, before attending the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California. While in rabbinical school, he interned as an interfaith chaplain at UCLA Hospital and spent a year learning in Jerusalem with Israeli rabbinical students at Machon Schechter. During the last two years of rabbinical school, he interned at Mishkon Tephilo in Venice, California. Rabbi Smolkin was ordained in 2009, having twice received awards for his excellence in Talmud. In addition to his love of learning Torah, Talmud, and Jewish Mysticism, Rabbi Smolkin enjoys studying other religions and learning languages. He also has a life-long love of music, as well as many years of study in martial arts. Rabbi Smolkin and his wife Talia have two children.
RABBI BENJAMIN CHAIDELL
Associate Rabbi
(he/him/his)
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Email: rabbiben@adath-israel.org
Growing up in New York City, Rabbi Chaidell and his family attended another Adath Israel - a Conservative Synagogue in Riverdale. He went on to major in religious studies at Yale University, became the co-coordinator of the egalitarian minyan at Hillel, and joined the Jewish Fraternity, AEPi. During college, Rabbi Chaidell interned at a mental health center in the Bronx where he enjoyed building positive relationships with others and supporting them to make their lives better. Upon graduating from Yale, Rabbi Chaidell spent two years with the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) and did consulting with both teachers and education directors, and planned unique programs. This is when he decided to become a rabbi. Outside of his rabbinic work, Rabbi Chaidell enjoys listening to music, dancing, exploring where he lives, and watching baseball. He puts a lot of time into building relationships with family and friends.
SHMUEL POLIN
Rabbinic Fellow
(he/him/his)
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Email: shmuel@adath-israel.org
Shmuel Polin is a fifth-year rabbinical student at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). A Greater Philadelphia/New Jersey native, he completed his B.A. at American University in Washington D.C. where he studied Jewish Studies and International Studies. He also completed both an M.A. in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and an M.A. in Jewish Studies from Gratz College of Melrose Park, Pennsylvania. His thesis focused on the depiction of European antisemitism in 1930's-1940's American and foreign cinema. Shmuel has years of experience of teaching Hebrew School at Kehillat HaNahar of New Hope, Pennsylvania, leading as a student rabbi at Beth Boruk Temple (Richmond, Indiana) and Temple Israel (Paducah, Kentucky), and also working for Israeli non-governmental organizations. Currently serving at Adath Israel as the rabbinic intern, he looks forward to his time with us. He and his wife, Daniella, have one son, Micha.
RABBI IRVIN M. WISE
Rabbi Emeritus
Email: rabbi@adath-israel.org
Rabbi Wise was born and raised in Cincinnati and assumed the position of Senior Rabbi of Adath Israel Congregation in 1992. Rabbi Wise received his Masters of Arts Degree in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College/Jewish Institute of Religion in 1978 and his rabbinic ordination from HUC in 1979. Prior to coming to Adath Israel, Rabbi Wise served as the Director of Student Activities and Assistant Rabbi at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and as the Executive Director of the Hillel at both Ohio University and the University of Minnesota. A member of the Rabbinical Assembly, Rabbi Wise is a respected and beloved teacher who taught extensively in the Adult Studies program at Adath Israel as well as in the Conservative high school, Mercaz, and Adath Israel's religious school. Rabbi Wise has served as President of the Greater Cincinnati Board of Rabbis. He also served on numerous boards and committees in our Jewish community. He and his wife Kathy have three children, Ora, Shalva and T. Rabbi Wise officially became Rabbi Emeritus in September 2019.