Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal

Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal was raised in the Aspen Hill area of suburban Maryland. His family were members of Congregation Beth El in Bethesda, where he and his two brothers were active in the congregation's youth and education programs, particularly United Synagogue Youth (USY).

Rabbi Blumenthal spent his first year of college on USY's Nativ program in Israel and, upon his return, completed his B.A. in Jewish Studies and English Literature at the University of Maryland. While living in College Park he also served as USY advisor for the chapter at Nevey Shalom in Bowie. Following college, he accepted the position of regional youth director of the Seaboard Region of United Synagogue, based in Rockville. After three years he was asked to go to New York to work as the assistant director in the international Department of Youth Activities of the USCJ. After three years in that position he decided to apply to rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary, graduating in May, 1999.

During his tenure as regional youth director, he met another regional youth director, Marci Harris, from the Southeast Region, based in South Florida. They eventually married after Rabbi Blumenthal had moved to New York. Their first child, Jory, was born in December,1996, and their daughter, Renana, was born in January, 2000.

Rabbi Blumenthal began his association with Shaare Torah by leading the first High Holiday services in 1996, and he began monthly visits in 1998. He began as Shaare Torah's full-time rabbi in July, 1999.