Meet Our Clergy and Staff

We hope you'll check back to meet additional members of our staff soon!

Harold J. Kravitz, Senior Rabbi

Harold J. Kravitz joined the rabbinic staff of the Adath Jeshurun Congregation (Conservative) in 1987. In 1996 he was appointed Senior Rabbi- Max Newman Family Chair in Rabbinics.

A native of Philadelphia, Rabbi Kravitz completed his BA in History at Temple University (Philadelphia, 1981). He did graduate studies at the University of Judaism (Los Angeles, now the American Jewish University), Hebrew University (Jerusalem 84-85), and was ordained and received an MA in Jewish Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (New York City, 1987). He has trained in general and family mediation at the Mediation Center for Dispute Resolution of the Hamline Law School (St. Paul).

Rabbi Kravitz has served as rabbinic representative on the newly revamped Board of the Minneapolis Federation of Jewish Services (2006-08). He was Chair of the organization of Twin Cities’ Conservative Rabbis (1998-2001) He has served two terms as Co-Chair of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association (1990-94). He served on the Executive Council of the Rabbinical Assembly (the international organization of Conservative rabbis 1998-2000). He is in his second term as Chairperson of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Vaad HaKavod, the Committee for Professional Ethics (2006- ).

He has served on the Board of Directors (1999-08) and on the Executive Committee (2002-08) of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and is presently on the Personnel Committee. He served as President of MICAH - the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (93-96). He has also served on the boards of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis and the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (91-94).  In 1991 he was honored for outstanding child advocacy by Congregations Concerned for Children.

Rabbi Kravitz is married to Cindy Reich, a national consultant in the field of Jewish Education and Educational Program Evaluation, who served as the Principal of the St. Paul Talmud Torah Day School. They have three children, Gabriel, Talia, and Elana.

Aaron Brusso, Rabbi

Aaron Brusso is a rabbi at Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka, Minnesota. He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where he also received a Masters degree in Jewish philosophy. Rabbi Brusso also holds a Bachelors degree in political science and environmental studies from American University in Washington, DC.

He is currently co-chair of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association, co-chair of Koach: the Conservative Movement’s presence on college compuses and a member of the ethics committee for Children's Hospital. Originally from Chicago, Rabbi Brusso was an active member of United Synagogue Youth, attended Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and was a leader at the American University Hillel. Aside from his other congregational and communal duties, Rabbi Brusso teaches a Tuesday morning Talmud class and directs a twice monthly Heschel reading group.

Rabbi Brusso is married to Hana Gruenberg and together they have three Minnesota born children: Sari, Zoe and Ilan.

Scott Buckner, Hazzan (Cantor)

Scott Buckner joined the staff of Adath Jeshurun Congregation in 1994.  He is a graduate of the Cantor’s Institute (now the H.L. Miller Cantorial School) of the Jewish Theological Seminary (New York City 1987), where he received awards in the areas of music excellence and voice. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Music from Tufts University with a performance degree in voice and classical guitar. Possessing a lyrical Tenor voice with a wide vocal range, Cantor Buckner has thrilled congregations and concert audiences with his Cantorial renditions and musical programs. He has worked together with several modern Jewish singer/songwriters to create a special Friday evening musical service which is held monthly in our congregation (Friday Night Live).

Cantor Buckner studied in the Cantorial program of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS) and has brought the learning and practices of IJS to our congregation. Most notable is the practice of sacred chanting using the style and music of Rabbi Shefa Gold along with Cantor Buckner’s own compositions. These sacred chants are sung during services often with the help of the Cantor’s high school singing group, the M’shor’rim. Cantor Buckner currently serves on the Ethics Committee of the Cantors Assembly (the largest organization of professional Hazzanim in the world).

Cantor Buckner and his wife Marcy are blessed with four children: Heather, Ethan, Matthew and Rachel.

Bernie Goldblatt, Executive Director

Bernie Goldblatt has been Executive Director of Adath Jeshurun Congregation for nine years. He has a B.A. in Near Eastern studies from the University of Michigan, a J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law and studied for one year at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A brief career in law was followed by 25 years in business; 10 years for a large public corporation and the remaining in his own company.

Bernie is a member of the Board of Governors of NAASE (North American Association of Synagogue Executives), co-chaired a recent national conference and received the professional certification of FSA, Fellow in Synagogue Administration in 2005.

Bernie is married to Dr. Leslie Goldblatt, a veterinarian, and they have three daughters: Talia, Aviva and Leora.