Clergy

Rabbi Dan Aronson

Rabbi Daniel Aronson is excited to have returned in July 2020 to his native New England from Houston, TX, to lead Keene’s Congregation Ahavas Achim. Born and raised in Portland, ME, Rabbi Dan lived in the Lone Star State since 2013 with his wife, Dr. Beth Aronson, a psychology professor whose grandmother graduated from Keene State Teachers College in the 1920s as well as their teen, Kro, a budding thespian, two cats and Angelica and Eliza, aka the Schuyler Geckos. Rabbi Dan also has an adult son, Jacob, who is a civil engineer in Denver, CO. Since moving to Keene, the Aronsons have adopted a dog, Ruby, whom they rescued from the Monadnock Humane Society.

In addition to Portland and Houston, Rabbi Dan has sojourned in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, Boston, Philadelphia and Jerusalem, either for education, work or both. He has held a variety of positions in the Jewish community and beyond, including visiting/interim rabbi, Hillel professional, health care chaplain, Dean of Admissions and Recruitment at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Director of Annual Giving at RRC, director of congregational learning, director of youth and education, coordinator of b’nai mitzvah and Hebrew programs. On the side, he has also spoken out on behalf of workers’ and immigrants’ rights.

A student for more years than he can count, Rabbi Dan was almost a theater major in college but ended up focusing his education on all things Jewish. He holds a BA in Judaic Studies from Brown University, Masters Degrees in Jewish Communal Service and Jewish Education from Brandeis University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, respectively, and rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He was especially fortunate to receive a coveted Wexner Graduate Fellowship to attend RRC and continues to be engaged in the Fellowship’s alumni association. In addition, he enjoys sharing with those in his care the varied skills he has developed through training in Clinical Pastoral Education, Bibliodrama and an approach to Hebrew instruction called Hebrew through Movement.

Rabbi Dan is passionate about Israel, Jewish education and caring for all God’s creatures. He also enjoys cooking, walking in nature, playing games, reading, eating ice cream, and making puns and dad jokes of questionable quality. In addition, while Rabbi Dan has been a fan of sports teams in Philadelphia and Houston, his primary allegiances have always remained with New England’s teams, and he is thrilled to be back in their broadcast area.

Rabbi Dan looks forward to getting to know each and every member of the Ahavas Achim family and to become a source of spiritual, emotional and intellectual support for all. He also is eager to make unique contributions to the wider communities of Keene, the Monadnock Region and the Granite State.