Rabbi Moshe Frank

Chaplain, Eastern N.Y. and Ulster Correctional Facilities, New York

Feb 29, 2016

Rabbi Moshe Frank is currently serving as the Chaplain of the Eastern New York and Ulster Correctional Facilities in New York. He is a talmid of Yeshiva Zichron Meilech and Beth Medrash Emek Halacha and was ordained by Rav Tuvia Goldstein. He earned a Masters degree in Classical Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School at Yeshiva University.

Rabbi Frank is an accomplished Mohel and is the Vice president of the Rabbinical Council of Sullivan and Ulster Counties, and a member of the Board of Directors and Board of Education at the Hebrew Day School of Sullivan, Ulster and Orange Counties. He is the Treasurer of the Warwarsing Clergy Association and a member of the Medical Ethics Committee at the Ellenville Regional Hospital.

While working in the rabbinate, Rabbi Frank most enjoyed introducing his congregants to educational materials which will help them find answers to their questions on their own. He felt that one of his greatest achievements has been to help to galvanize the Catskills Jewish community to participate in the annual Salute to Israel parade.

When asked to describe his greatest challenge as a rabbi, Rabbi Frank said, “Most challenging, I found, is catering to the many different factions within the congregation. When a community has non-halachic synagogues, those who belong to the Orthodox shul, do so out of choice. When you're basically the ‘only act in town’, however, the non-Orthodox are part of the Orthodox shul's membership; hence, the difficulty of satisfying all. But of course, being the only act in town presents many benefits as well. Less competition, right?”

Rabbi Frank’s advice to younger Rabbis at the start of their career is to speak less and listen more.

Rabbi Frank and his wife Esti are blessed with five children and one newly born grandchild.