Rabbi Lewis Mintz
Rabbi Lewis Mintz has described the years he spent as a rabbinical student at the Academy as ‘a wondrous experience.’ He particularly values the time spent with scholars and mentors such as the late Rabbis Hershel Matt and Maurice Davis. He treasured being in an academic environment that cared for his soul as much as for his studies. Because the philosophy and approach of the Academy were such a perfect fit with his own, Rabbi Mintz remarked to a colleague that it seemed as if the Academy had been purposely designed only for him.
After ordination, Rabbi Mintz continued to serve the Academy as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1997. He is an active and concerned member of the Association of Rabbis and Cantors. He studied at Brandeis University with a concentration in Sociology and Near Eastern and Judaic studies. He holds a Masters Degree in Counseling from Antioch University and also studied at The Jewish Theological Seminary.
In 1976, Rabbi Lewis Mintz began serving as the religious leader of Congregation Beth Elohim, a 35-family synagogue in Acton, Massachusetts. There, he has helped it develop into a vibrant synagogue community of over 350 families that sees itself as pluralistic, inclusive, and creative. Beth Elohim, under Rabbi Mintz’s leadership, has committed itself to the sacred task of creating a community of learners, improving the Hebraic and Judaic literacy of adults and children, and providing a quality program which actively engages all learners in a nurturing and respectful environment. In September 2002, the congregation dedicated its new synagogue center, the congregation’s third expansion during his tenure. The synagogue is featured in the book Houses of God: Religious Architecture for a New Millenium.
Rabbi Mintz is particularly proud of the pre-school now located at Beth Elohim, which is under the direction of the JCC’s of Greater Boston, reflecting a unique synagogue-JCC partnership.
