Adam Graubart

Adam Graubart (he/his) is a fifth-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. From an early age, he developed a passion for how the Jewish people cultivate morality, culture, and connection through study, prayer, acts of kindness, and collective organizing. In 2019, he earned a B.A. from George Washington University in Human Services and Social Justice with minors in Judaic Studies and Hebrew. Before rabbinical school, Adam took a gap year to work and travel around Chile and Argentina.  

Adam started rabbinical school during the outbreak of the pandemic, developing resilience and community during an uncertain time. He moved to Brooklyn in the summer of 2020. During his first and second years, he taught Jewish history and Hebrew for 5th and 6th grade students at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue.  He especially loved connecting students to the American Jewish story through immersive and experiential lessons about New York City history. For example, he facilitated an in-depth exploration of the 1902 Kosher Meat Boycott and a field trip to the Eldridge Street Synagogue. 

For the past two years, Adam interned at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST), the world's largest LGBTQ synagogue. Collaborating with the talented clergy team, Adam performed many rabbinical duties. He provided pastoral care for a portfolio of 12-15 congregants at any given time and officiated lifecycle events, including funerals, shiva minyanim, unveilings, and b’tei din for conversion.  Adam facilitated small group discussions and provided individual counseling for 6 conversion students. As the point clergy overseeing the Aleinu 20’s and 30’s cohort, he increased its reach from 100 to 200 participants, elevated the quality of programming, and provoked thoughtful discussion during monthly Torah study. Adam takes pride in putting together an adult education series called “Judaism, Baseball, and You,” which explored how the tradition intersects with America’s past-time. Inspired by Adam’s sessions, the group continues to meet on a regular basis to watch films and enjoy games together. 

Seeking an experience at a URJ congregation during his fifth year, Adam decided to serve at Beth Am, the People’s Temple. In Washington Heights, he leads Saturday morning services. As the only clergy, he works with lay leaders to plan the service, incorporating intentional introductions and transitions, chanting Torah, delivering sermons, and playing acoustic guitar on selected prayers. Once per month, he also teaches an adult education class. Throughout the High Holidays, he served as the sole rabbinical presence, leading all services with a cantorial soloist and delivering all sermons.
 

In addition to synagogue experience, Adam served as the sole clergy at Purdue University Hillel during the High Holidays of 5781/2021. He also completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) as a Chaplain Intern at Maimonides Medical Center. Adam offered pastoral care in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) and a medical floor with a high proportion of patients with long-term psychiatric conditions. 

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Adam loves spending his free time cooking, running (he completed the 2024 New York Marathon!), reading, attending theater, following Yankees baseball, and exploring new museums and restaurants.