Rabbi Brian Walt

Rabbi Brian Walt was ordained as a Reconstructionist rabbi in 1984. He has worked as a congregational rabbi, a human-rights activist and an outspoken advocate in the American Jewish community for justice, equality and peace for all in Israel/Palestine. Born in South Africa, he was active as a student in the anti-apartheid struggle. From 1984-88, he served as the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, Reconstructionist congregation in Media, Pa. In 1988, he founded Congregation Mishkan Shalom, an activist Reconstructionist synagogue, in Philadelphia.  He was one of the founders of Rabbis for Human Rights – North America (currently, T’ruah), and served as its first executive director from 2003-2008. In response to “Operation Cast Lead” in 2008-09, he co-founded with Rabbi Brant Rosen Taanit Tzedek–Jewish Fast for Gaza. In 2012, Rabbi Walt led the Dorothy Cotton Institute Civil and Human Rights delegation to the West Bank. The delegation included veterans of the American civil-rights movement who met with leaders of the Palestinian nonviolent resistance movement and their Israeli allies. Drawing on his own life experience and faith, Rabbi Walt speaks and writes about the struggle against racism and apartheid in South Africa, Israel and America. He is member of the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council. Most recently, he served on the organizing committee of Expanding the Conversation about Israel/Palestine in the Reconstructionist movement.