Rabbi Stephen L. Sniderman joins Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key

Rabbi Stephen L. Sniderman will join Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, as its new spiritual leader Aug. 1.

His first service will be at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 5.

Sniderman served as rabbi of the Chayim congregation in Cumberland, Md., since January 2003. He previously served in Champaign and Rockford, Ill., and Sharon, Pa.

“We anticipate Rabbi Sniderman’s arrival with great excitement and are honored and thrilled to welcome him and his lovely family to our temple. His considerable experience and skills will make him a valuable asset to Temple Beth Israel.” said President Robert Vigder. “We are fast becoming the Jewish cultural center of Longboat Key and Rabbi Sniderman’s approach to teaching is based in a thorough understanding of our heritage and history and a deep belief in our mission to make our world a better place.”

Sniderman, born in Toronto, is a graduate of York University, Toronto, with a major in history. He was a graduate student in European history at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore when he decided he wanted to be a rabbi. He studied at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and in Cincinnati and was ordained in 1975.

In three communities, Sniderman has been president of the clergy association. He has been involved in interfaith studies and discussions. He has been on the board of several community organizations and is a member of Rotary.

Sniderman collects books primarily about Jewish history and general European history.

“I am particularly interested in areas where cultures intersect and interact with Jewish history,” he said. “To be able to join a congregation that is as warm and rich culturally as the one at Temple Beth Israel is a dream come true. I am looking forward to engaging and challenging our members with the richness of our heritage.”

This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Rabbi Stephen L. Sniderman joins Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key."