Rabbi Avi Weiss is the founding rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, a congregation of 850 families in Bronx, NY; founder of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, a rabbinical seminary he refers to as "Open Orthodox", a term he coined to describe an offshoot of Modern Orthodoxy; founder of Yeshivat Maharat for Orthodox women; co-founder of the International Rabbinical Fellowship, an Open Orthodox rabbinical association founded as a liberal alternative to the Modern Orthodox Rabbinical Council of America; and founder of the grassroots organization Coalition for Jewish Concerns – Amcha, which speaks out for Jewish causes throughout the world.
In 2013, Newsweek ranked him the 10th most prominent rabbi in the United States, climbing from number 11 in 2012 and number 12 in 2011, after being ranked number 18 in 2010.
Rabbi Weiss has authored two books: Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women’s Prayer Groups and Principles of Spiritual Activism.