At Old York Road Temple-Beth Am—Beit Am, the “House of the People”—we believe the synagogue is more than a place of worship. It is a sacred space for deep relationships, spiritual exploration, lifelong learning, and shared purpose.
Since 2004, it has been my honor to serve as Senior Rabbi of this vibrant congregation. My journey began in Cape Town, South Africa, where I was born and raised, and continued through rabbinic studies at Leo Baeck College in London and Hebrew Union College-JIR in New York. After ordination in 1986, I returned to my home congregation in Cape Town before joining Beth Am in 1989 as Assistant Rabbi, collaborating with Rabbi Harold B. Waintrup (z”l).
Together with my wife Randy, a board-certified music therapist, and our three daughters, we have found a true home in this community. I became a U.S. citizen in 1994 and have cherished the many milestones we have celebrated with our Temple family.
I am an active member of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the Association of Reform Zionists of America. I also chair the Rabbinic Committee of the Kehillah of Old York Road and am a graduate of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s Rabbinic Leadership Program.
At Beth Am, we embrace tradition, celebrate diversity, and strive to build a more compassionate, inclusive, and just world. I invite you to join us—shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, hand in hand.
215-886-8000 Ext:132
rleib@oyrtbetham.org
