Rabbis During Wartime
February 27, 2024
In providing venues for both consolation of suffering and the arousal of activism, rabbis lead our synagogues towards becoming communities of deep meaning.
Rabbi Michael Rothbaum (he/him) is the rabbi of Reconstructionist Congregation Bet Haverim in Atlanta. Previously, Rabbi Mike worked in Jewish communities in New York, the Bay Area and the Boston area for more than 25 years as youth director, rabbi/educator and pulpit rabbi, as well as serving as co-chair of the Bay Area Regional Council of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice.
Rabbi Mike has spoken and taught widely, addressing groups as varied as Moishe House, Jewish Community Relations Council and “Nuns on the Bus.” He has appeared in front of audiences at the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives; Oakland City Council; and the New York State Democratic Party. In 2012, he joined a rabbinic delegation to Ghana, sponsored by American Jewish World Service and was named a Global Justice Fellow by AJWS in 2018. His writing has been featured in The Forward, Tikkun, Sojourners, Alma, Haaretz and the anthology, Peace, Justice, and Jews: Reclaiming Our Tradition. Rabbi Mike’s religious-based activism has been covered in several media outlets, including CNN, WABC-TV and i24 News Israeli television.
Devoted to creating and nurturing vibrant learning communities, teaching Torah that touches heart, mind and soul, and continuing the Jewish mission of pursuing justice that he discovered as a teenager, Rabbi Mike is a passionate advocate for the idea that every moment is an opportunity to make a Jewish choice.
Rabbi Mike lives in the Summerhill section of Atlanta with his husband, internationally acclaimed Yiddish vocalist Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, who kindly tolerates his passion for fair-trade coffee, Bob Dylan and manual transmission.
In providing venues for both consolation of suffering and the arousal of activism, rabbis lead our synagogues towards becoming communities of deep meaning.
Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement
Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis
Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues
Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives
