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Rabbi Michael Mayersohn
Since ordination as a rabbi in 1979, Rabbi Michael Mayersohn has served as founding rabbi of Temple Shir Tikva of Wayland, Massachusetts and as spiritual leader of Temple Ner Tamid...view moreSince ordination as a rabbi in 1979, Rabbi Michael Mayersohn has served as founding rabbi of Temple Shir Tikva of Wayland, Massachusetts and as spiritual leader of Temple Ner Tamid in Downey, California. From 1990 through 2003 he served as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth David of Orange County. Since September of 2003, Rabbi Mayersohn has served as a consultant and taught several courses for the Orange County Bureau of Jewish Education. He created the Alliance for Christian and Jewish Studies, which brings classes and presentations about the Jewish roots of Christianity and the Jewish context of Jesus’ life and teachings to people of faith. The rabbi is associated with Logos Ministries, teaching Bible classes to Christian students in Southern California and Arizona.
During his years serving congregations in Southern California Rabbi Mayersohn began his research into the writings of the rabbis of antiquity on the evil inclination. His academic research in Talmud and Midrash resulted in his compiling all the references to the evil inclination (yetzer hara in Hebrew) in these vast volumes. He then decided to move from the traditional Jewish literature of antiquity to a study of the writings of Christian sages, especially Paul in the first century and Augustine in the fourth century on the question of sin and human evil. This work led ultimately to the writing of Are We Sinners?
Rabbi Mayersohn has been a leader in the Reform movement of Judaism in developing programs and policies welcoming intermarried couples and families into Jewish life. His synagogue won the Belin Outreach Award for the innovative Learner’s High Holy Day Service for intermarrieds. He also co-taught the Pastoral Counseling course for rabbinic students at the Reform movement’s seminary and graduate school, the Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Mayersohn is the Past-President of the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council.
The rabbi’s long-held commitment to advancing interfaith led him to the writing of Are We Sinners?. He seeks to strengthen the understanding members of the two faith communities, Jews and Christians, have of each other. In all of his teaching and writing the abiding commitment is to greater understanding and closer connections between Christians and Jews in pursuit of a society in which we live together in harmony.
Rabbi Mayersohn lives with his family in Orange County, California. He has a grown daughter living with her husband in Los Angeles. He is joyfully married to Caryn and they are raising her children, Matt and Ally through all the blessings, challenges and achievements of adolescence. The rabbi also performs weddings and other services for people in Southern California and Arizona. Visit his website, www.CaliforniaRabbi.com for more information about his classes and services.view less
Books by Rabbi Michael Mayersohn
Are We Sinners?: Christian and Jewish Beliefs on Sin and Evil