Clergy
RABBI ROBERT L. TOBIN
His classes on Jewish history and thought, weekly Talmud Mondays, discussions of text on Shabbat afternoons, and graduate-level Melton class have faithful followings.
Rabbi Tobin grew up in Rochester, New York, and has lived and studied in South Africa, Chile, France, and Israel. He speaks English, Spanish, Hebrew, and French.
Rabbi Tobin holds four university degrees: a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University; an M.A. in Religion from Syracuse University; a Master's of Hebrew Letters from the University of Judaism (now American Jewish University); and another M.A. in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary. He came to B’nai Shalom in 2011.
With passion for Jewish community and the State of Israel, Rabbi Tobin has served on numerous local and national boards, including Jewish Vocational Services, the United Jewish Communities Rabbinic Cabinet, regional UJA/Federation Executive Committees, and the Northern New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly. He works to support Israel through the Masorti Movement, MERCAZ/USA, the Jewish National Fund, and Greater MetroWest Federation's Religious Pluralism Committee. On his days off, he teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Drew University, and also serves as a community chaplain.
Rabbi Robert Tobin is a compassionate pastor, dynamic speaker, and master teacher. Ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1999, he is an inspiring mentor for Jewish exploration that blends credible tradition with joyous diversity.
RABBI EMERITUS STANLEY L. ASEKOFF
During his 39-year tenure at B’nai Shalom, Rabbi Stanley Asekoff's warmth and compassion touched nearly every family in our congregation and established a spirit of hesed that enriched all our lives.
A proud Bostonian and graduate of the famous Boston Latin School, Rabbi Asekoff received his BA in psychology from Brandeis and BA in Jewish Education from the Hebrew College in Boston. He earned both an MA in Hebrew Literature and Rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
He was certified as a Mesadder Gittin (expert in Jewish divorce) by the Joint Bet Din of the Conservative Movement in 1989, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from JTS in 1998.
Rabbi Asekoff came to B’nai Shalom in 1972 as Assistant Rabbi. He was elevated to Associate, then Senior Rabbi. Among many accomplishments, he increased membership and service attendance; and enhanced the Jewish knowledge and commitment of the congregation. He also established a Camp Ramah scholarship fund and created a unique Teen Torah Reading Academy.
Rabbi Asekoff served as secretary, then president of the Essex County Board of Rabbis; as president of the New Jersey Region of the Rabbinical Assembly; and as a member of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. He was a chaplain for the West Orange Police Department and played a significant role, working though the Anti-Defamation League, in training the police to recognize and deal with bias crimes. In addition, he was a certified disaster chaplain.
A professionally trained chaplain, Rabbi Asekoff worked in that capacity at St. Barnabas Medical Center for six and a half years after his retirement from B’nai Shalom. His wife, Cecille, retired as Director of the Joint Chaplaincy Committee of Greater MetroWest in 2019. She is Executive Director Emerita of Neshama Association of Jewish Chaplains. The Asekoffs have two married daughters and two granddaughters.
