When Rabbi Jared Skoff assumes the role of assistant rabbi at Congregation B’nai Amoona on July 1, he’ll carry on the family tradition set by his grandfather Rabbi Benson Skoff (z”l), who served BSKI for more than 30 years as spiritual leader, and his father Rabbi Joshua Skoff, senior rabbi at the Park Synagogue in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Recently, I found a Jewish Light article that had an interview with my grandfather,” said Jared Skoff, 31. “He said the most important thing that a rabbi can do is make mensches. I’m sure from my time listening to my father and my grandfather speak from the pulpit and in conversations with them, I developed a very similar philosophy.”
A rabbi should be available to guide individuals seeking their own path in Judaism, Skoff said.
“The best thing we can do is help people aspire to be their best selves and be good people,” he said. “And also, to teach people what it means to be in a community. Finding ways to empower people to feel like they’re co-creators of a community is not only valuable, but essential for helping people feel really invested.
“I think being able to step back and watch people navigate their own life trajectory through the lens of community and see how community has both supported and changed people for the better, is really a meaningful thing to see,” he said.
Skoff said B’nai Amoona supports members’ ability to engage with the congregation through its programs, which appealed to his own philosophy.
“I think it’s a match for my perspective that empowerment is important,” he said.
Earlier this year, Skoff was ordained by the Ziegler School where he was a Wexner Graduate Fellow. He also spent much of the past decade working for Camp Ramah, where he served as national program director. He comes to St. Louis from Los Angeles, where he was a rabbinic intern at Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue.
B’nai Amoona leadership found Skoff’s background and skills to be a good fit for the congregation, according to Gail Feldstein, BA board president.
“He’s an approachable person, but he’s also very intelligent,” Feldstein said. “For somebody so young, he brings a lot to the table—so much hands-on experience with near-diverse education, with Camp Ramah, with community and his interest in diversity and lifelong learning, teaching adults and children of all ages. He has a creative mind, especially with prayer and leadership and engaging people into learning.”
Feldstein said Skoff’s ability to connect with young families is also an important factor.
“Adding a new assistant rabbi is a really significant moment, because as we approach our 140th anniversary, we are continuing l’dor v’dor, generation to generation, by keeping things energized, and traditional, but also creative,” she said. “Education is so important, and we want to reach people where they are.”
