When Rabbi Noah Whittenburg starts in the new role of assistant rabbi at Congregation Ahavas Achim of Highland Park on August 1, he will be working from a solid foundation in the rabbinate.
Rabbi Whittenburg has served as the assistant rabbi at Beth Jacob Congregation in San Diego, and as a rebbe at the Southern California Yeshiva High School for the past three years. Prior to that, he was a kollel fellow in the Torah Mitzion Kollel at Yeshiva University, a middle school rebbe at the Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva in Edison, and a rabbinic intern at Congregation Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead and the Roslyn Synagogue in Roslyn.
Rabbi Whittenburg received a BA in communications from Rutgers University, semicha from the Rabbi Issac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University, and an MS in Jewish education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. He and his wife, Yaffa, have four children—Nessya, Leebi, Gavriella and Aharon.
“The hiring of an assistant rabbi is a sign of our growth and the desire of our membership for more learning and more programming,” said Rabbi Steven Miodownik, rav of Congregation Ahavas Achim. “Rabbi Whittenburg will enhance our shul with more Torah and enable us to reach more people. He is an incredible source of wisdom and scholarship who is eager to join our shul and community. We are so thrilled that he and his family will be part of Ahavas Achim.”
“Many shul members, myself included, are very excited to welcome Rabbi Whittenburg to our shul’s rabbinic staff,” said Eli Weiss, shul president. “With Ahavas Achim’s continued growth, we are excited for the additional opportunities and support Rabbi Whittenburg brings with him, including our capacity to increase the creative and engaging youth and adult education programming. We look forward to introducing our dynamic new assistant rabbi to the wider community.”
“I am deeply honored to join the Ahavas Achim community and am eager to contribute to its vibrant spiritual life,” said Rabbi Whittenburg. “My family and I are thrilled to become active participants in both the shul and the wider Highland Park community.”
Congregation Ahavas Achim will be holding a special kiddush after davening on Shabbat day, August 3, to formally welcome Rabbi Whittenburg to the community. The shul welcomes all members and friends of Ahavas Achim, as well as prospective new members.
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County Editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes your feedback.
