Beth Shalom
The Progressive Jewish Congregation
of Auckland, New Zealand

 

Phone +64 9 524 4139 -- Fax +64 9 524 7075 -- Email info@bethshalom.org.nz


 


 

 

 

 

 

Public

 

Shalom! 

Welcome to the website of Beth Shalom, the Progressive Jewish Community of Auckland.

At Beth Shalom, you will find a spiritual home, a centre of friendship and community, a place to learn, and a setting to build a better world.  Beth Shalom is a gathering of people dedicated to Judaism and to creating diverse opportunities for personal enrichment through learning (Torah), worship (Avodah), and acts of compassion (G’milut Hasadim) in a communal context.  At Beth Shalom, we embrace our Jewish tradition in ways relevant to our 21st Century lives, honouring the values of inclusion, gender equality and social justice. 

Beth Shalom is a vibrant centre of Jewish life, and boasts a very involved community—lay leaders join me in teaching at our thriving Sunday School, leading worship, reading Torah, settling policies, and planning activities.  I invite you to join us for Shabbat worship, a learning session or holiday.

We have members from all corner of the world—not only native Kiwis, but also from Britain, France, Israel, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, and the United States.  Members maintain a wide range of Jewish observance.  Some were born into Jewish families, and some became Jewish of their own accord.  These factors contribute to the excitement and diversity of Beth Shalom.  It is a privilege for me to serve this community as rabbi. 

We welcome interfaith families.

Whether you are a long time resident of Auckland, new to our community or just passing through, please consider yourself welcome at Beth Shalom.

Rabbi Dean Shapiro

 


BIOGRAPHY OF RABBI DEAN SHAPIRO:

Rabbi Dean Shapiro serves Beth Shalom, the Progressive Jewish Congregation of Auckland, having previously served congregations in Los Angeles and California's Bay Area.  He was ordained by Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, and additionally holds a Certificate in Jewish Communal Service from the same institution.  Rabbi Shapiro is part of the Editorial and Sales & Marketing Committees for the World Union Edition of Mishkan Tfilah, a new siddur tailored for use in the Southern Hemisphere.  Rabbi Shapiro is also a passionate advocate for Social Justice, and interned at California's Progressive Jewish Alliance prior to ordination.

 

A native of Los Angeles, Rabbi Shapiro worked for over ten years as an executive in International Film Distribution, overseeing the foreign sale and marketing of movies including My Big Fat Greek Wedding and many others.  He holds a Bachelor's Degree, with honours, from Harvard University.  Rabbi Shapiro and his partner, Haim Ainsworth, have a young son, Jacob, and are proud to call Auckland home.

 

 

 To send an email to Rabbi Dean, please click on this link

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