Rabbi Josh Franklin

Rabbi Josh Franklin

DRIVEN TO ENLIVEN THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE

Rabbi Joshua Franklin joins the Jewish Center of the Hamptons after having served for four years as an Associate Rabbi at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA. In his career as a rabbi, he has enlivened the Jewish community by reimagining spirituality through novel and creative media.  Rabbi Franklin brings to the synagogue setting a passion for music, technology, and creative forms of Jewish education.

Rabbi Franklin originates from Yonkers, NY, and grew up at Riverdale Temple in the Bronx, where his father was a rabbi. He spent his childhood summers growing up at URJ Eisner Camp, and has returned to serve for several years on the rabbinical faculty at URJ Crane Lake Camp. 

Before receiving his ordination at Hebrew Union College (HUC-JIR), Rabbi Franklin attended Clark University in Worcester, MA. There he graduated Magna Cum Laude, and majored in History with a concentration in Jewish Studies. He also received a Masters degree from Clark in History. While at HUC-JIR, he served numerous synagogues and Jewish institutions as a student rabbi and rabbinical intern including Beth Ha-Sholom of Williamsport, PA, Rodeph Shalom of Philadelphia, PA, DOROT of New York NY, Temple Sinai of Stamford, CT, and Beth El of Beckley, WV. Rabbi Franklin was the recipient of the Daniel and Bonnie Tisch Fellowship, a three year extracurricular program with Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman that explores congregational studies, personal theology, and contemporary religion in North America.

In addition to rabbinical ordination at HUC-JIR, he earned Masters Degrees in Hebrew Literature and in Religious Education. In his spare time, Rabbi Franklin enjoys golf, cycling, snowboarding, photography, wine tasting, beer brewing, and cooking with his wife Stephanie Whitehorn. He now resides in East Hampton, NY with his wife Stephanie and daughter Lilah.