38. The Intersection of Mental Health and Rabbinic Guidance

Rabbi Larry Rothwachs is a licensed social worker and accomplished leader in both rabbinic and mental health fields. Since August 2002, Rabbi Rothwachs has served as the senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Aaron in Teaneck, New Jersey, fostering a warm and supportive community alongside his wife, Chaviva, a special education teacher at the Sinai Schools.
Rabbi Rothwachs is a graduate of Yeshiva College, the Azrieli School of Jewish Education, and the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and he received his semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). From 1998 to 2016, he taught Talmud at Yeshiva University High School for Boys and the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey. In April 2016, he was appointed Director of Professional Rabbinics at RIETS, where he trains and mentors future rabbinic leaders. Additionally, since 2016, he has served as the head rabbi of Camp Morasha, the largest orthodox summer camp in North America. His extensive background includes leadership roles such as president of the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County and executive committee member of the Rabbinical Council of America. In May 2016, Rabbi Rothwachs was recognized by The Forward as one of "America's Most Inspiring Rabbis."

In January 2023, Rabbi Rothwachs was appointed as the founding rabbi of Meromei Shemesh, a developing community in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel. Inspired by over two decades of rabbinic leadership in Teaneck, where he witnessed 20% of his congregants make aliyah, Rabbi Rothwachs brings his extensive experience to this aspirational, Torah-centric kehilla. Meromei Shemesh is designed to be a vibrant shul-centered community, combining the warmth and connectivity of an American shul with the spiritual richness of life in Israel.

Rabbi Rothwachs also maintains a personal blog (larryrothwachs.com), where he shares insights, reflections, and resources related to Torah, mental health, and personal growth.

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