Rabbi Moshe Adler z”l was the spiritual leader of Beth El – The Heights Synagogue from its founding through his retirement in 2016. He said of BE–THS, “I’d often felt that if I were to serve as rabbi of a synagogue, I’d want it to be friendly, warm, participatory, and committed to Jewish learning, observance, and deeds of kindness. At Beth El – Heights I found all those qualities.” Rabbi Adler taught and wrote extensively on the applicability of Jewish values to contemporary issues.

Before he came to Cleveland, Rabbi Adler served as Hillel director at the University of Minnesota. In Cleveland he has taught classical Hebrew, Bible and Judaics at the Siegal College of Judaic Studies for nearly fifteen years, and has taught Judaic subjects at the Agnon School, Gross Schechter Day School, Akiva High School, and the Pardes School.

Rabbi Adler z”l passed away on March 7,2021. He is missed by the congregation and indeed by the greater Cleveland Jewish community at large.

Links to articles written by Rabbi Adler.

• Making us a Christian theocracy is un-American Pie (CJN 2008-12-19)
• Joseph s coat of many colors in a black-and-white world (CJN 2008-12-19)
• Jacob is Israel: the evolution of one of our forefathers (CJN 2008-12-12)
• Moral leaders are made, not born (CJN 2008-12-05)
• Who was fit to lead the Hebrews after Isaac? (CJN 2008-11-28)
• Prayer is not magic but service to God (CJN 2008-11-21)
• God judges us as we are at that moment (CJN 2008-11-14)
• It’s not as you think, says G-d (CJN 2006-03-16)
• Eternal vigilance is price of freedom (CJN 2006-01-20)
• Grievous wrong to regard all Arabs or Muslims as modern-day Amalekites (CJN 2006-03-10)
• Two paths in religion – pleasure and self-denial: Insight into Parshat Naso (CJN 2004-05-28)
• Remembering Sinai Event on Shavuot: Insight into Chag Shavuot (CJN 2004-05-21)
• We are simply sojourners on Earth: Insight into Parsha B’har / B’hukkotai (CJN 2004-05-14)
• Representing G-d by how we live: Insight into Parshat Emor (CJN 2004-05-07)
• Ethics and holiness – a matter of doing and being: Insight into Parsha Aharey-mot/K’doshim (CJN 2004-04-30)
• Maimonides’ prescription for healing the stricken: Insight into Parsha Tazria-M’tzora (CJN 2004-04-23)
• G-d responds to prayer and cannot be conjured: Insight into Parsha Sh’mini (CJN 2004-04-16)
• Biblical Song of Songs reflects love for G-d: Insight into Shabbat Hol haMoed Pesah (CJN 2006-04-09)
• The messianic theme in Passovers past and future: Insight into Parsha Tzav / Shabbat HaGadol (CJN 2004-04-02)