Rabbi David Evan Markus
Good news! As of July 1, 2023, our congregation has a new spiritual leader.
A little bit of background . . . .
The Shir Ami Search Committee has worked over the past two years to find our next long-term Spiritual Leader. Last year, when we weren’t able to fill the position, we were fortunate to be able to hire Rabbi David Levy for a one-year interim term. We are beyond grateful that Rabbi Levy has supported and nurtured our congregation over the past seven months and will continue to do so through the end of our fiscal year on June 30.
In mid-February, the Search Committee enthusiastically recommended Rabbi Markus as the clergy candidate to the Board of Directors. The recommendation was unanimously approved and a small team worked with him on a 3-year contract, which was finalized and signed yesterday. We’ve shared some biographical information with you below, so that you can read about Rabbi Markus’ impressive qualifications.
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Spiritual Leadership
Rabbi Markus comes to Shir Ami after 13 years of service as spiritual leader and music director of Temple Beth-El of City Island. He is senior builder and past Board chair of Bayit: Building Jewish, a trans-denominational innovation incubator sharing new liturgies and spiritual technologies with congregations across the country. Rabbi David also is Professor David: he holds an appointment as senior faculty at the Academy for Jewish Religion, teaching community leadership and spiritual formation courses in the seminary’s rabbinic and cantorial programs. He maintains an active hashpa’ah (spiritual counseling) practice for clergy and other seekers, and consults for change-phase spiritual communities. He is honored to serve as past Board co-chair of ALEPH, the flagship organization of Jewish renewal.
A fellow of Rabbis Without Borders, David has been a dynamic scholar in residence for communities, gatherings and platforms across North America. His writings have appeared regularly in the Academy, My Jewish Learning, The Wisdom Daily, The Forward, Moment Magazine, prayer books and anthologies. He currently holds an Oreach Fellowship for spiritual arts innovation, and recently published his first book, A Year of Building Torah.
Secular Leadership
David simultaneously presides as full-time judicial referee in New York Supreme Court, 9th Judicial District. His past public service roles include special counsel to the Chief Judge of New York, special counsel to the New York Senate Majority, deputy director of voter protection for Pres. Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, justice policy counsel for New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s transition, and senior law secretary to the New York Court of Appeals. David previously served as faculty in graduate public administration at Pace University, and undergraduate political science at Fordham University.
David is a founding executive officer, training director and peer counselor for the nonprofit Lawyers Depression Project, a national platform for legal professional wellness, support and advocacy. He teaches nationally on practice management, ethics and systemic dynamics of attorney wellness for both Bar and Bench. David serves on the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on the Constitution and Lawyer Assistance Committee, and co-chairs the Access to Justice Committee for New York’s Ninth Judicial District.
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David earned double ordination as rabbi and spiritual director from ALEPH, and a graduate certificate in spiritual entrepreneurship from Columbia Business School. He also earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, his Master in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Williams College.
David is a lifelong New Yorker and avid Yankees fan (for which he apologizes in advance to any local Red Sox fans). He lives in nearby Westchester County, New York.
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As you can see, Rabbi Markus is a uniquely talented individual. Besides his listed credentials, he is musically talented. He is a former semi-professional a cappella vocalist, a composer and conductor, and plays piano and guitar. The words Search Committee members use to describe him are: bright, energetic, dynamic, charismatic, passionate, and spiritual.
In addition to the many links provided, click here for Rabbi Markus’ spiritual and secular resumes.
The Board of Directors would like to give a huge thank you to the Search Committee, so professionally led by co-chairs Nancy Heller and Jenny Lake, and supported by Eric Birnbaum, Andrew Cohen, Linda Gratt, David Green, Joan Green, Jackie Marschall, Susan Nisinzweig, Marie Orsini Rosen, and Abby Ross.
Let us pause for a moment to celebrate this uplifting news -- we don't take enough time to celebrate! Mazel tov to all of us!
With gratitude and enthusiasm,
The Shir Ami Board of Directors
Good news! As of July 1, 2023, our congregation has a new spiritual leader.
A little bit of background . . . .
The Shir Ami Search Committee has worked over the past two years to find our next long-term Spiritual Leader. Last year, when we weren’t able to fill the position, we were fortunate to be able to hire Rabbi David Levy for a one-year interim term. We are beyond grateful that Rabbi Levy has supported and nurtured our congregation over the past seven months and will continue to do so through the end of our fiscal year on June 30.
In mid-February, the Search Committee enthusiastically recommended Rabbi Markus as the clergy candidate to the Board of Directors. The recommendation was unanimously approved and a small team worked with him on a 3-year contract, which was finalized and signed yesterday. We’ve shared some biographical information with you below, so that you can read about Rabbi Markus’ impressive qualifications.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spiritual Leadership
Rabbi Markus comes to Shir Ami after 13 years of service as spiritual leader and music director of Temple Beth-El of City Island. He is senior builder and past Board chair of Bayit: Building Jewish, a trans-denominational innovation incubator sharing new liturgies and spiritual technologies with congregations across the country. Rabbi David also is Professor David: he holds an appointment as senior faculty at the Academy for Jewish Religion, teaching community leadership and spiritual formation courses in the seminary’s rabbinic and cantorial programs. He maintains an active hashpa’ah (spiritual counseling) practice for clergy and other seekers, and consults for change-phase spiritual communities. He is honored to serve as past Board co-chair of ALEPH, the flagship organization of Jewish renewal.
A fellow of Rabbis Without Borders, David has been a dynamic scholar in residence for communities, gatherings and platforms across North America. His writings have appeared regularly in the Academy, My Jewish Learning, The Wisdom Daily, The Forward, Moment Magazine, prayer books and anthologies. He currently holds an Oreach Fellowship for spiritual arts innovation, and recently published his first book, A Year of Building Torah.
Secular Leadership
David simultaneously presides as full-time judicial referee in New York Supreme Court, 9th Judicial District. His past public service roles include special counsel to the Chief Judge of New York, special counsel to the New York Senate Majority, deputy director of voter protection for Pres. Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, justice policy counsel for New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s transition, and senior law secretary to the New York Court of Appeals. David previously served as faculty in graduate public administration at Pace University, and undergraduate political science at Fordham University.
David is a founding executive officer, training director and peer counselor for the nonprofit Lawyers Depression Project, a national platform for legal professional wellness, support and advocacy. He teaches nationally on practice management, ethics and systemic dynamics of attorney wellness for both Bar and Bench. David serves on the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on the Constitution and Lawyer Assistance Committee, and co-chairs the Access to Justice Committee for New York’s Ninth Judicial District.
* * *
David earned double ordination as rabbi and spiritual director from ALEPH, and a graduate certificate in spiritual entrepreneurship from Columbia Business School. He also earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, his Master in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Williams College.
David is a lifelong New Yorker and avid Yankees fan (for which he apologizes in advance to any local Red Sox fans). He lives in nearby Westchester County, New York.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As you can see, Rabbi Markus is a uniquely talented individual. Besides his listed credentials, he is musically talented. He is a former semi-professional a cappella vocalist, a composer and conductor, and plays piano and guitar. The words Search Committee members use to describe him are: bright, energetic, dynamic, charismatic, passionate, and spiritual.
In addition to the many links provided, click here for Rabbi Markus’ spiritual and secular resumes.
The Board of Directors would like to give a huge thank you to the Search Committee, so professionally led by co-chairs Nancy Heller and Jenny Lake, and supported by Eric Birnbaum, Andrew Cohen, Linda Gratt, David Green, Joan Green, Jackie Marschall, Susan Nisinzweig, Marie Orsini Rosen, and Abby Ross.
Let us pause for a moment to celebrate this uplifting news -- we don't take enough time to celebrate! Mazel tov to all of us!
With gratitude and enthusiasm,
The Shir Ami Board of Directors