Rabbi Samuel Barth

Like many in our community, Rabbi Barth has followed a circuitous path to Cape Ann. Born in Israel and raised in England, he studied mathematical physics and philosophy as an undergraduate, before receiving his ordination from the Leo Baeck College in London, in 1984. He also studied at traditional yeshivot in Jerusalem. He crossed the Pond to New York in 1986, pursuing doctoral studies in Liturgy at the Jewish Theological Seminary, then becoming

Assistant Dean of the Rabbinical School, where he was responsible for revising the internship program.

Rabbi Barth was then appointed as Dean and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at The Academy for Jewish Religion, a pluralistic rabbinical and cantorial seminary. He lectured in the fields of liturgy and halakhah (Jewish Law) and was responsible for the development of the cantorial program and a new campus in Los Angeles.

From 1991-2000, he served as rabbi of the Park Slope Jewish Center, a liberal and dynamic congregation in Brooklyn, and then as rabbi of Congregation Agudas Achim, the major Conservative synagogue in Austin, Texas, from 2003 until 2006.

The Rabbi has worked as a consultant in synagogue growth as part of the Synagogue 2000 Project and for congregations of all affiliations, and has served as rabbinic consultant to JACS, the organization that supports Jews in their recovery from addictions. For many years Rabbi Barth has been a senior teacher in the rabbinical program of ALEPH, the movement for Jewish Renewal.

He is married to Karen Barth, a management consultant. They have two children, Yishai and Miriam. The family enjoys travel - especially to Israel, and all kinds of music. Rabbi Barth was once a nationally ranked white water kayaker (in the UK - and not highly ranked) and also enjoys martial arts training and Celtic music.