Temple Emanu-El of Bayonne, NJ

RABBI SHAUL PRAVER

Temple Emanu-El of Bayonne is proud to announce that Rabbi Shaul Praver has agreed to join Temple Emanu-El and help us in our next phase. Rabbi Praver has many skills and attributes:  He is an experienced community rabbi who transmits spiritual wisdom and care helping  people improve the quality of their lives, is an inspirational public speaker and compassionate listener.  He comes with a vision and plan to make conservative Judaism flourish in the 21st century. He communicates clearly and concisely, is dedicated to building strong Jewish identity, is a longtime advocate for the state of Israel and a fluent Hebrew speaker; highly musical and trained in the cantorial arts, dedicated to making Judaism relevant, coherent, and fascinating to people of all ages and walks of life.  

He has strong synagogue/life cycle skills and brings with him a wide spectrum of experiences that will help us. Rabbi Praver’s humanitarian work earned him the prestigious Samaritan peace Medal.  He is also a gifted cantorial artist and published author.

Rabbi Praver serves part-time and puts forth his dedicated efforts to tend to our needs. He promises to attract new members, teach us, try and bring back our Jewish Learning Project, and inspire us on our journey through Judaism. He will reach out to  young people to understand  their true needs and explore ways they can feel part of our Temple family.  He is a member in good standing of the Rabbinical Assembly.  

In 2013, Newsweek named Rabbi Praver as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America.   After 23 years of local congregational leadership, his career transformed after serving as a spiritual first responder at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  For a time his voice was heard nationally. The shooting compelled Rabbi Praver to work towards reducing societal violence. He accepted a position that same year as a correctional chaplain for the state of Connecticut. At the same time, Rabbi Praver pursued a doctoral degree in ministry through Hartford Seminary and became a Board Certified Chaplain through Norwalk Hospital. 

This page will be home to Rabbi Praver’s posts, thoughts, and updates that he wishes to share with our community. Please check back for updates soon.