On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbis Bennett Miller and Gary Glickstein discuss the activities of the National Association of Retired Reform Rabbis (NAORRR) and their collaboration with Maram, the professional organization for Reform rabbis in Israel. The discussion highlights the significance of these partnerships, the challenges faced by Reform rabbis, and the ongoing efforts to build connections between American and Israeli congregations.

Key Discussion Points

• The role of NAORRR in supporting retired Reform rabbis and fostering connections with Israeli colleagues.
• Insights into the collaboration with Maram and the impact of shared experiences and learning.
• The challenges faced by Reform rabbis in Israel, including societal tensions and security concerns.
• The importance of building bridges between American and Israeli congregations to foster mutual support and understanding.
• Future plans for NAORRR, including continued collaboration and support for Reform rabbis in Israel.

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About the Guests Rabbi Gary Glickstein

Rabbi Gary A. Glickstein was the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Sholom between1985-2018. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1971. He continued his education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, and received his rabbinical ordination in 1974.
Rabbi Glickstein served as Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Bene Israel/Rockdale in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1974-1977 and then became Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Worcester, Massachusetts from 1977-1985.

In 1985, Rabbi Glickstein came to Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach as a vibrant, young scholar to serve as Senior Rabbi. His vitality and youthful approach have attracted many new members over the years as he has encouraged a greater involvement of the congregation in synagogue and Jewish life.

Rabbi Glickstein has distinguished himself as one of the leaders of the Miami community. He is the founding Executive Director of the Woldenberg Center for Jewish Life and serves on the advisory boards of the Lehrman Community Day School and the Greater Miami Coalition for a Drug Free Community. He is a board member and finance committee member of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. He serves as a board member for the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies, is a board member and advisory board member for the Golden Care Foundation and is Past President of the Greater Miami Chapter Board of American Friends of the Hebrew University. Rabbi Glickstein is also Past President of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami.

Nationally, Rabbi Glickstein has distinguished himself as Past Chairman, Executive Committee of the UJA National Rabbinic Cabinet, Past Chairman and President of the National Rabbinic Cabinet of Israel Bonds and the Treasurer of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He is also a board member of the American Friends of ALYN Hospital.

Rabbi Glickstein’s commitment to the cross-cultural community in Miami is evidenced by his position as Past Chairman of the Religious Leaders Coalition and membership on the Executive Committee and Past Chair of the Education Committee for the Miami Coalition for a Drug Free Community. He is also a Past Board Member for the Miami Human Rights Commission and the Past Chairman of the Judaic Studies Advisory Committee to the president of Barry University.

Rabbi Bennett F. Miller

Rabbi Bennett F. Miller, a native of Rochester, N.Y., is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati.  He earned a Master of Arts and Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati where he was ordained a Rabbi in 1974.  He also earned his doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1988.  In March 1999, he was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity Degree from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.  In 2008, Rabbi Miller completed a Certificate in Fund Raising at the George Heyman Center for Non-Profit Management and Fund Raising at New York University.

Rabbi Miller is rabbi emeritus of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  He has been associated with Anshe Emeth since 1974.  Founded in 1859, Anshe Emeth is the third oldest congregation in New Jersey.  Before coming to Anshe Emeth, he was the spiritual leader of Congregation Havurah in Buffalo, N.Y. and the New Jersey State Advisory Council on the Holocaust.

Since October 2012, Rabbi Miller was elected to serve as the national Chair of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA).  ARZA is the Zionist arm of the Reform Movement of North America.  In his capacity as Chair, Rabbi Miller represents a membership of nearly 25,000 Zionists in Reform Congregations throughout the United States.  Rabbi Miller also serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

His varied activities include being the Chair of the National Rabbinic Cabinet of the United Jewish Communities.  He has also served as a contributor to the Judaica Series of the Young Leadership Cabinet of United Jewish Appeal and to its rabbinic publication, The Orchard.

He currently serves as a member on the Board of Trustees of the Union for Reform Judaism.   Rabbi Miller has served as Co-Chairman of the Union for Reform Judaism Commission on Synagogue Management and as founding Co-Chairman of the Union for Reform Judaism Commission on Synagogue Music (formerly, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations).

In the New Brunswick community, Rabbi Miller is the founding Chairman of the Clinical Pastoral Education Committee at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and continues to serve as its Chairman.  He is the Jewish Chaplain to the New Brunswick Police Force.  He has served on the Board of Elijah’s Promise, a non-profit interfaith organization dedicated to providing meals to the homeless and needy in New Brunswick.  He served also on the New Brunswick Tercentennial Executive Committee.

At the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Miller serves as Instructor in Pastoral Theology in the Doctor of Ministry Program.  He is also a member of the Clinical Faculty of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and he served as Instructor in Liturgy at the Jerusalem campus of the College-Institute.

Rabbi Miller is the author of Reform Jewish Identity:  Developing A Program of Ministry to Guide the New Member of A Reform Synagogue to Mature Jewish Living.  He is also the author of Siduree:   A Prayerbook for Young Children, The Songs of Anshe Emeth for Shabbat, and numerous creative worship services.  Rabbi Miller has also written the teacher’s guide to Why Pray? published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.  He has had articles published in Compass Magazine and other periodicals and served for ten years as consultant to The Jewish Star, the newspaper of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.

Rabbi Miller and his wife Joan are residents of Monroe Township, New Jersey. They are the parents of two daughters, Rabbi Ellie Miller of West Orange, New Jersey and Carrie Miller Nussbaum of Short Hills, New Jersey and proud grandparents of Sam Miller Lynn, Max Miller Nussbaum, Meg and Jack Miller Lynn, Gabriel Miller Nussbaum, and Benjamin Miller Nussbaum.

The post Building Bridges: Retired Reform Rabbis in America and Israel – Seekers of Meaning 7/11/2025 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.