Shalom from Lima, Ohio.

Rabbi Jackson is both honored and excited to join the community of Temple Beth Israel- Shaare Zedek in his role of spiritual leadership. He grew up south of Boston, MA. Since then, he has been lucky enough to live, study, and work in many places such as Arkansas, Upstate New York, Montreal, Philadelphia, Jerusalem, and Cincinnati. Rabbi Jackson trained for the rabbinate partially at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and he completed his training for ordination at the Hebrew Union College in New York, Jerusalem, and Cincinnati.

During his rabbinical training, he served Jewish communities and families in Oneonta, NY, the Philadelphia area, and the greater Cincinnati area. In this work, he was particularly committed to helping interfaith families, LGBTQ families, folks new to Judaism, and individuals who felt placeless to discover what of Judaism could speak to them and how, in turn, to contribute their voice to our vast tapestry of Jewishness. Most recently before rabbinical school, Rabbi Jackson was a cultural anthropologist and lecturer in world religions and Jewish studies at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY and was a social science instructor at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA (which was founded originally as a liberal arts and agricultural college by one of the first rabbinic ordinees of the Reform movement for the education and vocational advancement of Jewish immigrants).

Rabbi Jackson is passionate about our deep past and our exciting future; he believes in the important voice that Judaism provides to our world today, in the unique contributions and perspectives we bring to the challenges of being human, and that Judaism is continually evolving and learning as a religion. He is honored in his new role to help this community celebrate its rich roots, and from this strong foundation to grow and to thrive.