Michael Strassfeld

Michael Strassfeld is an American rabbi.

Biography

Michael Strassfeld was rabbi of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism, a Manhattan synagogue.[1] Before that he was the rabbi of Congregation Ansche Chesed.[2]

Strassfeld is a graduate of the Maimonides School. He started college at Yeshiva University, but transferred to Brandeis University and graduated in 1971. He holds an M.A. from Brandeis Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, and completed his doctoral coursework in Jewish History at Brandeis but did not submit a thesis. He was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1991.

Strassfeld first received wide public attention as one of the authors of the Jewish Catalog. He was a leader of the Chavurah movement and was the founding chairperson of the National Havurah Committee from 1979 to 1982.[3]

The original version of "Passover Haggadah: The Feast of Freedom" was edited by Strassfeld. After publishing it for members of the Rabbinical Assembly in their rabbinical journal, Rachel Anne Rabinowicz came on board next as editor of the project. She brought the work to its final form.

Strassfeld is married to Rabbi Joy Levitt.

He is father to sons Max, Noam, and Benjamin and stepdaughters Sara and Ruthie Friedlander, as well as being grandfather to Micah Strassfeld.

Jewish Catalog

The Jewish Catalog was published by the Jewish Publication Society of America (Philadelphia) in three volumes (1973, 1976, and 1980). It is a collection of far-ranging topics that should aid any Jew - whether steeped in tradition or just discovering Judaism - to become personally involved in aspects of Jewish life, customs, cooking, crafts and creation.

Publications
  • The First Jewish Catalog. A Do-It-Yourself Kit. Compiled and edited by Richard Siegel, Michael Strassfield, and Sharon Strassfeld (1973).
  • The Second Jewish Catalog. Comp. and ed. by Michael Strassfeld and Sharon Strassfeld (1976).
  • The Third Jewish Catalog. Compiled and ed. by Sharon Strassfeld and Michael Srassfeld (1980).
  • Shabbat Haggadah for Celebration and Study (1980).
  • The Jewish holidays: a guide and commentary. With Arnold M. Eisen and Betsy Platkin Teutsch (Illustrations) (1985).
  • A Night of Questions, a Passover Haggadah with Rabbi Joy Levitt (2000).
  • A Book of Life: Embracing Judaism as a Spiritual Practice, Schocken Books (2002).

References
  1. "The SAJ Welcomes Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann (article on home page)". thesaj.org. 8 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 18 November 2015. Rabbi Lauren began her term on July 1, 2015.
  2. Ansche Chesed Rabbi To Step Down: At issue is role of rabbi in prominent multi-minyan shul, The Jewish Week, January 12, 2001.
  3. Briggs, Kenneth A. (July 8, 1979). "Diverse Jewish Havurah Movement Grows; Difficult Obstacles Seen 'A holding Operation' Adherence to Law Not Strict". The New York Times.
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