Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl has been senior rabbi of Beth Tzedec Congregation since 1993.  The focus of his rabbinate has been a commitment to family education and life-long learning.  He has brought to Beth Tzedec an interest in involving single adults and young couples in Jewish life and a deep commitment to provide hesed (the support which is nourished by lovingkindness) to the sick, the shut-ins and the bereaved and an on-going effort to "open up" the synagogue services to encourage more participation.  In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Rabbi Frydman-Kohl has intellectual interests in the areas of Jewish philosophy and mysticism and often draws upon these Jewish theological sources for his teaching.

Rav Baruch initiated the development of a "synaplex" of innovative ritual and educational opportunities for the congregation.  He has initiated programs and havurot for single adults and young couples.  Rav Baruch also is engaged in outreach to teenagers, teaching in our Tichon High School, at United Synagogue Youth International Convention, at Camp Ramah and as a madrich /chaperon to the "March of the Living ".

In addition to his congregational responsibilities, Rabbi Frydman-Kohl has been deeply involved in work with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, the Rabbinic Forum of Keren Hayesod and the Rabbinic Cabinets of the United Jewish Communities and the State of Israel Bonds.  In 2000 he was honoured by the United Jewish Communities with their Rabbinical Award.  He has also been involved with Mazon Canada and the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews.  Within the Conservative Movement, he is a member of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly, served on its Executive and Administrative committees and is past President of two of its regions.  He serves on the Chancellor's Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  Before coming to Toronto, Rav Baruch served Congregation Ohav Shalom in Albany, New York, for seventeen years

The Rabbi has lived overseas in France and Israel and has personal knowledge of the political, cultural and social issues which face those communities. He has a history of involvement in various public causes going back to his high school years in Chicago.  He has a special interest in outreach to individuals not traditionally involved in the Jewish community, such as single adults, Jews by choice and alcoholics.  Rav Baruch still enjoys a friendly game of baseball and wishes that he could play second base for the Chicago Cubs.

In June 1992, the Rabbi was awarded a Coolidge Fellowship by the Association for Religion and Intellectual Life to pursue research in an inter-faith community at the Episcopal Divinity School at Harvard University.  In 2003 he was awarded the degree of a Doctor of Divinity.  In 2004 he received his doctorate in Jewish Philosophy from the Jewish Theological Seminary and was named Senior Rabbinic Fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute of Jerusalem.

Rabbi Frydman-Kohl is the author of scholarly articles in the area of Jewish philosophy and mysticism.  Some recent publications include "Oy, Canada" in Conservative Judaism, "Kohanim and Levites" in the Etz Hayim Humash and "The Transmission of the Jewish Tradition" in Ecumenism Magazine.

Rav Baruch and Josette were married in 1970.  They are the parents of 3 sons.

Autumn, 2006