Seekers of Meaning: Rabbis Edwin Goldberg and Elaine Zecher discuss new book, “Because My Soul Longs for You”

Rabbi Elaine Zecher

Innovation in ritual and prayer, profound engagement in social action, leadership, scholarship, and a palpable love of Jewish life are hallmarks of Rabbi Elaine Zecher’s rabbinate. As the senior rabbi of Temple Israel of Boston, she leads the largest congregation in New England, forging close personal relationships within the congregation and the larger community.

Rabbi Zecher speaks passionately about social justice; she is a tireless worker in interfaith partnerships, and an advocate for progressive legislation and policy. She is noted as well for her personal warmth, deep humanity, quick wit, and humor. She is an engaging teacher who makes scholarship accessible and captivating.

Committed to developing creative liturgy and prayer, she was instrumental in developing new prayer books for Shabbat and weekdays, as well as the Machzor, which is used on the High Holy Days. Active in the national Reform Jewish movement, she served as Vice President for Leadership of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR).

Rabbi Zecher is a graduate of Brandeis University and she was ordained from Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in 1988.  She is married to Dr. David Eisenberg and has three adult children.

Rabbi Edwin Goldberg

Rabbi Edwin Goldberg currently serves as the rabbi of Congregation Beth Shalom of The Woodlands, in the Houston area. He received rabbinic ordination and a doctorate in Hebrew Literature from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (in 1989 and 1994, respectively).

He has authored several books, including:

Midrash for Beginners

Heads and Tales: Stories of the Sages to Enlighten Our Minds

Swords and Plowshares: Jewish Views of War and Peace

Love Tales from the Talmud

Saying No and Letting Go: Jewish Wisdom on Making Room for What Matters Most.

He served as the Coordinating Editor of the new Reform Jewish Machzor, Mishkan HaNefesh. He also edited a companion commentary, Divrei Mishkan HaNefesh and has published many articles and sermons.

Rabbi Goldberg has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami in the department of Religious Studies and Judaic Studies. He is also a graduate of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.