Temple Emanuel Welcomes Rabbi Joseph Prouser

of North Jersey will introduce its congregation to new Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser and his wife, Dr. Ora Horn Prouser on August 1.  

Rabbi Prouser is an accomplished spiritual leader and educator, according to officials from the temple.

"Rabbi Prouser comes to Temple Emanuel from a distinguished career in teaching and pastoral service on pulpits in Connecticut and New York," wrote Merrill Rutman with the temple.

Temple Emanuel’s previous spiritual leader, Rabbi Joshua Cohen, left in June to accept a teaching position in Israel.  

Rabbi Prouser has served continuously as a pulpit rabbi since his ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, in 1988. He served on United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s international youth and education commissions, for twelve and twenty years respectively; represented the Rabbinical Assembly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the 1990s; participated on the rabbinic court overseeing conversions in the Abayudaya community of Uganda in 2003; and he is currently a member of the Joint Bet Din of the Conservative movement, according to Rutman. 

Rabbi Prouser has published articles on biblical translation, Jewish law, and the Conservative movement and a biography on the Vilna Ger Tzedek, a Jewish martyr burned at stake in 1749.  

Rabbi Prouser comes to Temple Emanuel from a part-time position at the Baldwin Jewish Center on Long Island.  

The rabbi's wife, Ora Horn Prouser, a New Jersey native, earned a Ph.D. in bible studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary and served on its faculty.  She is now executive vice president and academic dean at the Academy for Jewish Religion, in Yonkers. Her father, Rabbi William Horn, is rabbi emeritus of the Jewish Community Center of Summit; her sister, Dassy Mark, is regional director of the United Synagogue Youth organization; and brother-in-law Rabbi Randall Mark leads Congregation Shomrei Torah in Wayne.

Rabbi Prouser and Ora have three children, Shira, 26; Eitan, 24; and Ayal, 20; all alumni of Solomon Schechter day schools.  

The same week that they begin their association with Temple Emanuel, Rabbi Prouser and Ora will celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary, according to Rutman.

According to Rabbi Prouser Rabbi, the hallmarks of his work are “ambitious standards for youth education, a participatory approach to communal worship and adult learning; building fruitful and friendly relationships across Jewish denominational lines and with other faith communities, and my personal commitment to Jewish study and writing.”  

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