Rabbi Kalman Topp
Beth Jacob Congregation, Beverly Hills, CA
Mar 17, 2014
Rabbi Kalman Topp is the Senior Rabbi of Beth Jacob, serving in that role since August 2009. Rabbi Topp also serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of California, the Executive Board of the Israel-Christian Nexus and is a member of AIPAC's National Council.
Prior to coming to the West Coast, Rabbi Topp served first as Assistant Rabbi and then as a Rabbi in the Young Israel of Woodmere, where he helped the shul grow by more than 200 new families to reach a membership of over 900 families. Rabbi Topp taught widely in the Five Towns-New York area and lectured at the Ateret Seminary, located on the Queens College campus. In May 2008, he was appointed by the Nassau County Legislature to serve as a Human Rights Commissioner in Nassau County on a multi-racial commission that investigates human rights complaints, promotes tolerance and fights all types of discrimination in the county.
After growing up in Kew Gardens Hills, NY, Rabbi Topp studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush) for two years and then returned to Yeshiva University where he attended the Sy Syms School of Business, from which he graduated as valedictorian. As part of the Gesher program which strives to bridge the business worlds of the U.S.A. and Israel, Rabbi Topp worked in the finance department for Osem Foods International in Petach Tikvah, Israel.
After spending a year as a learning madrich for the inaugural year of Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim, he received his ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Yeshiva University) and earned a Masters degree in secondary education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education.
With a passion for teaching Torah, Rabbi Topp has been a teacher of Jewish studies at the Frisch School (Bergen County, NJ), Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and Rockaways (Long Island, NY) and in the Beis Medrash of Bergen County. Prior to his post in Woodmere, Rabbi Topp had the privilege to serve as Rabbi at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Rabbi Topp was a member of the Vaad Hakashrus of the Five Towns and also served on the Board of Education at the Shulamith School of Long Island. Rabbi Topp has contributed articles to numerous journals and books including a chapter in a book on Character Values entitled Step by Step (Shaar Press, 2012).
Rabbi Topp and his wife, Dr. Jordana, are blessed with 6 children: Rachelli, Tzippora, Ayelet, Yakira, Aharon and Aryeh.
