Yair Robinson is the spiritual leader and senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Emeth, where he has served since 2009. Originally from Massachusetts, Yair graduated from Oberlin College in 1998. He earned his Masters and Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where he focused on liturgy and creative writing. Before coming to Beth Emeth, he served as the Associate Rabbi at Congregation Shir Ami in Newtown PA and at Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati. Yair has written and blogged extensively (both his own as well as for the Religious Action Center, Matan, and the URJ), has been active in the greater community, including as a Rotarian, serving on the JCC board, as the president of DERECH (Delaware Rabbis and Cantors), on the clergy advisory panel for Planned Parenthood, on the board of the Philadelphia Anti-Defamation League, and the local chapter of the ACLU, among others.

Yair’s commitment has been to create sacred community. This has meant within the synagogue and Jewish community, where he has taught teens and adults as well as worked in Early Childhood education and inclusion, as well as in the greater community at large, encouraging individuals to share their special gifts and talents, build meaningful and caring relationships, and partnering with other organizations and individuals both Jewish and non-Jewish to marshal resources for rodef tzedek, the pursuit of justice. He takes a keen interest in giving individuals the opportunity to grow and flourish Jewishly. He was a STAR Peer and Balfour Brickner Fellow, and continues to look for opportunities to encourage creativity in worship and study, community building and social justice.

Yair married his college sweetheart, Marisa, an opera singer, in 2000. They have a son, Elishai. When not serving the community, you can find Yair talking to folks at the local comic book shop, working out at the JCC, building Legos with his son, reading or writing poetry, rooting for the Red Sox, or getting into (playful) fights on the internet.

Contact Information & Office Hours

Congregants can simply drop in without an appointment at those times.

You can also schedule an appointment directly with Rabbi Robinson by simply emailing him.  You can also call the temple at 302-764-2393.