Clergy
RABBI ROBERT L. TOBIN
Rabbi Robert Tobin is a compassionate pastor, dynamic speaker, and master teacher. Since joining B’nai Shalom in 2011, he has served as an inspiring mentor for Jewish exploration, dedicated to blending credible tradition with joyous diversity. He is an engaging and creative teacher for all ages, pre-school through the golden years.
A deeply committed educator, Rabbi Tobin encourages growth through learning in both formal and informal settings. His classes on Jewish history and thought, weekly "Talmud Mondays," discussions of text on Shabbat afternoons, and his graduate-level Melton class have all developed faithful followings.
Rabbi Tobin holds six university degrees: a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University (1988); an M.A. in Religion from Syracuse University (1992); a Master's of Hebrew Letters from the University of Judaism (now American Jewish University, 1994); a B.S. in Homeland Security (2020), and ordination accompanied by an M.A. in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary (1999). He is currently a doctoral candidate at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago.
Rabbi Tobin has built a distinguished career serving the Conservative movement. He was certified as a Mesadder Gittin (expert and scribe for Jewish divorce) by the Joint Bet Din of the Conservative Movement in 2025. He previously served as the Senior Rabbi at The Conservative Synagogue in Westport, CT, and as Associate Rabbi at Chizuk Amuno Congregation in Baltimore, MD. He has also served as a national board member for MERCAZ/USA. In February, 2026, Rabbi Tobin was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America for his lifetime of service to the Jewish people.
Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to pastoral care, family education, and community engagement.
With a passion for the Jewish community and the State of Israel, Rabbi Tobin has served on numerous local and national boards, including on the steering committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, where he created the interfaith clergy leaders alliance and youth interfaith programs. He has served on the boards of Jewish Vocational Services, the United Jewish Communities Rabbinic Cabinet, the Northern New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly and the Lenape District committee of the Boy Scouts of America. He works to support Israel through the Masorti Movement, Federation and the Jewish National Fund.
Beyond the synagogue, he teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Drew University and serves as a community chaplain. Rabbi Tobin grew up in Rochester, New York, and brings a global perspective to his work, having lived and studied in South Africa, Chile, France, and Israel. He speaks English, Spanish, Hebrew, and French. Rabbi Tobin’s wife, Lisa is a non-profit professional in the region and together they raised their four children at Bnai Shalom: Maya, Yossi z”l, Ezra and Avi.
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.
