SHMUEL POLIN
MEET SHMUEL
Rabbi Shmuel Polin is a Greater Philadelphia/New Jersey native, Shmuel completed his B.A. at American University in Washington D.C. where he studied Jewish Studies and International Studies. He also completed both an M.A. in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and an M.A. in Jewish Studies from Gratz College of Melrose Park, Pennsylvania. His thesis focused on the depiction of European antisemitism in 1930's-1940's American and foreign cinema. Shmuel also completed a M.A. in Hebrew Letters as well as his Rabbinic Ordination (S'micha) from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. For his capstone project, he founded the non-profit, Opening the Ark Project which rebuilt the Torah Ark of Sidra, Poland which had originally been destroyed in the Holocaust.
Shmuel has years of experience of teaching Hebrew School at Kehillat HaNahar of New Hope, Pennsylvania, leading as a student rabbi at Beth Boruk Temple (Richmond, Indiana) and Temple Israel (Paducah, Kentucky), and also working for Israeli non-governmental organizations.
STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND LIFE-CYCLE EVENTS
Shmuel has had much experience with diversity, inclusion, and life cycle events. He was an active member of LGBT Queers and Allies at American University in D.C. He has experience volunteering at the annual New Hope Pride week. He was part of Adath Israel's inclusion and diversity programs. Shmuel is proud to oversee both LGBTQ+ and interfaith marriages.