Rabbi Ellis Bloch

Washington Heights Congregation, Washington Heights, NY

Sep 20, 2006

Rabbi Ellis Bloch has been the rabbi of The Washington Heights Congregation, Washington Heights, NY, for fifteen years. He also serves as the Co-Chairman of the Board of the Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights and has been a member of the RCA for 15 years.

Rabbi Bloch has been active for over twenty five years in American Jewish education. He has served Yeshiva University’s high schools as a teacher, guidance counselor, and associate principal. For the past ten years, he has been the Director of the Department of Yeshivot and Day Schools at the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York.

When asked to describe what he most enjoys about being a congregational rabbi, Rabbi Bloch says, “As a congregational rabbi you are constantly challenged to come up with new material for Drashot and Shiurim. You can’t give the same speech or class year after year. I have been asked if I find it difficult to come up with new material after 15 years in the Rabbinate. My response is to the contrary it is beauty of that challenge that keeps going. I am constantly engaged in Torah study with an eye toward how what I am learning might be applied to my needs as Rabbi. Somehow each week and each occasion it happens that I find the perfect opening. In addition, I am always amazed that no matter how well prepared I am, a congregant will invariably ask a question that I hadn’t thought about and will take whatever we are studying off in a totally unanticipated direction.”

Rabbi Ellis Bloch grew up in Bronx, New York, and attended Yeshiva Salanter, Yeshiva University High School, and Yeshiva College. He earned a Masters in Public Administration from Baruch College in 1977 and completed course work toward an Ed.D. at Azreilli. He received his semicha from RIETS.

Rabbi Bloch is married to Leah, nee Silbermintz. They are proud of their son Yossie who is continuing in avodat hakodesh in Israel.