RABBI STANLEY L. ASEKOFF

Rabbi Stanley Asekoff was born and raised in Boston Massachusetts and is a graduate of the Boston Latin School, the oldest public high school in the country. He received his BA in psychology from Brandeis University and a second Bachelor’s Degree from the Hebrew College (Boston) in Jewish Education. He went on to receive both his Master’s Degree in Hebrew Literature and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. He also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from JTS and is a Mesadder Gittin (Jewish Divorce Administrator) certified by the Joint Beth Din of the Conservative movement. Rabbi Asekoff currently serves as a member of the National Beth Din

He is married to Cecille Allman Asekoff. They have two daughters—Sarah Gila, married to John Schapiro; Dr. Shira, married to Dr. Ariel Meyer; –and two granddaughters- Grace Elizabeth Schapiro and Shoshana Estee Meyer.

In the course of his Rabbinate at B’nai Shalom Rabbi Asekoff served as the President of the Essex County Board of Rabbis and the New Jersey Region of the Rabbinical Assembly (the professional organization of Conservative Rabbis). He has also served on the Executive Board of the Rabbinical Assembly and on the Board of Trustees of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest. He is also a member of the New York Board of Rabbis and the National Association of Jewish Chaplains.

From Rabbi Asekoff’s perspective B’nai Shalom is the “home and address” of Judaism for our membership and for all who look to us for guidance, direction and a vibrant source of  “Yiddishkeit”.  Our mission is to provide a warm, welcoming, accepting, sympathetic and nurturing environment in which Judaism can infuse our lives with purpose, direction, meaning and spirituality. Our unique combination of opportunities for religious, educational, social, and social action activities enables each individual to create the right “mix” that is good for her or him. Our blend of traditional ritual practices interwoven with egalitarianism affords every man and woman equal opportunity for participation and leadership in the “religious life” of the congregation. At the same time it underscores our conviction as a Conservative Congregation (affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism) that it is both possible and imperative that we maintain our traditions while, at the same time, allowing them to evolve and develop.

B’nai Shalom’s opportunities for education include, but are not limited to, “Child’s Way, Derech Hayeled,” the only Jewish Montessori Nursery School in the area; a Religious School of outstanding excellence that encourages individual progress and a offers a graded curriculum so that each student can progress at her/his own speed; Kadima and USY groups for preteens and teens, and a dynamic Hazak group for seniors.

At B’nai Shalom we encourage our membership to “empower” themselves Jewishly by joining the ranks of those who read Torah, lead davening, chant Haftarot, and deliver Divrei Torah. Our congregant led Shabbat morning minyan that meets once a month is an affirmation of our belief that Judaism belongs to all of us-not just the Rabbis, Cantors, and Educators. B’nai Shalom is a joint venture shared by all of us-and together we do succeed in making B’nai Shalom a great place to live and grown Jewishly!