Senior Rabbi Successor

We are excited to announce that Rabbi Neil P.G. Hirsch has been elected Senior Rabbi Successor of Isaac M. Wise Temple, the eighth Senior Rabbi of the congregation since 1850.

The Rabbinic Search Committee unanimously recommended Rabbi Hirsch’s selection as Senior Rabbi Successor, and the Wise Temple Board of Trustees unanimously and enthusiastically elected him at a special Board meeting held December 11, 2023. Throughout the process, all involved in the search were consistently impressed with and drawn to Rabbi Hirsch’s warmth, pastoral skills, intellect, and passion for Jewish leadership. These qualities left the Search Committee and temple leadership with great confidence in his wide-ranging abilities and excited for him to lead our congregation in the future.

Rabbi Hirsch has served as Rabbi at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, Massachusetts since July 2015, prior to which he spent five years was Associate Rabbi at Temple Shalom in Newton, Massachusetts. Rabbi Hirsch and his wife, Rabbi Liz Hirsch, along with their two children look forward to joining our special congregational family when they move here from Lenox, Massachusetts this summer.

Rabbi Hirsch will be joining Wise Temple as Senior Rabbi Successor in July 2024, working alongside Rabbi Kamrass. In June 2025, Rabbi Hirsch will become Senior Rabbi of Isaac M. Wise Temple, when Rabbi Kamrass retires after what will be 40 years of devoted rabbinic leadership to our congregation. The year of working together will undoubtedly provide a smooth transition for staff, leadership, and the entire congregation.

Click here to learn more about Rabbi Hirsch in his bio.

Special thanks to the Rabbinic Search Committee who worked tirelessly over the past six months and interviewed many rabbinic candidates interested in our congregation. Our thanks go out to the Search Committee’s co-chairs, Howard Kaplan, Wise Temple Vice President, and Karen Hoguet, to Wise Temple President, Gayle Warm, and to committee members Jon Chaiken, Eric Gruen, Sarah Habib, Shelley Heinen, Julie Kantor, Nancy Postow, Stuart Susskind, Lindi Vernick, and Sherri Weiss.

As we stand at this significant moment in our temple’s rich history, we look forward to this next chapter in our congregation as we continue from strength to strength!