Rabbi Dr. Marc D. Angel

RABBI DR. MARC D. ANGEL has been serving Congregation Shearith Israel , the historic Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of New York City, since 1969. In the autumn of 2007, he founded the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals, and serves as its Director. The Institute works to foster an intelligent, compassionate and inclusive Jewish Orthodoxy.

Author and editor of 25 books and numerous articles, he has won acclaim for his studies in Jewish history and thought. Among his recent books are: "Losing the Rat Race, Winning at Life" (2005); "Choosing to Be Jewish: The Orthodox Road to Conversion" (2005); "Rabbi Haim David Halevy: Gentle Scholar and Courageous Thinker" (2006); and "Foundations of Sephardic Spirituality: The Inner Life of Jews of the Ottoman Empire " (2006).

He has been active in a wide range of communal organizations, including the American Sephardi Federation, Jewish National Fund, HealthCare Chaplaincy, and UJA-Federation of New York ; and is past president of the Rabbinical Council of America. He has lectured widely throughout the United States and Canada , as well as in Israel .

He earned his B.A., M.S. and Ph.D from Yeshiva University , and received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He also has an M.A. degree in English literature from the City College of New York. Yeshiva University conferred an honorary degree on him in 1992. He has won numerous awards including the National Rabbinic Leadership Award of the Orthodox Union; the Rabbinical Award of the United Jewish Communities; the Finkle Award of the New York Board of Rabbis; the Bernard Revel Award for Religion and Religious Education; and the National Jewish Book Award in the category of Jewish Thought.

He is married to Gilda Angel. They have three children and six grandchildren. Their son, Hayyim, serves as Rabbi of Shearith Israel .