Rabbi Matt Zerwekh is proud to return to Temple Emanu-El to lead the congregation he credits with forming his earliest Jewish identity. Rabbi Zerwekh earned his BA Cum Laude in Political Science at Western Michigan University, before his matriculation to Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion. It was at HUC-JIR in Cincinnati where Rabbi Zerwekh earned his Masters in Hebrew Letters in 2013 in Cincinnati and was ordained in 2014. During his time at HUC, Rabbi Zerwekh devoted his thesis research to end-of-life and hospice care and, while at HUC, created a mobile resource Jewish Resource for families going through the hospice process.

Before coming to Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi Zerwekh led Temple B’nai Israel in Kalamazoo. While in Kalamazoo Rabbi Zerwekh taught as adjunct faculty at Western Michigan University and served as an executive board member of ISAAC, the largest interfaith organizing group in Southwest Michigan. During his time in Kalamazoo, Rabbi Zerwekh distinguished himself in the community as a voice for positive change and cooperation in the faith community. Rabbi’s work was recognized by the Kalamazoo City Commission when he was appointed to represent the faith community on the board of directors of the Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence.

As Temple Emanu-El’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Zerwekh works to help connect the values that make Temple Emanu-El such a special place, to Judaism and to the outside world. It is in this place that Rabbi Zerwekh is most passionate: he continuously strives to make connections, to find common ground between people, communities, and communities of faith as he understands that the strength of a community is only helped through relationship and dialogue with our neighbors. Rabbi Zerwekh has delivered an opening invocation for the Michigan State Senate, serves on the CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbi’s) Ethics Process Review panel and was recognized by the Detroit Jewish News as one of the 36 under 36, and is proud to represent Temple Emanu-El through his various efforts to “pray with his feet”.