Rabbi Robinson comments, “I’m deeply honored to be following Rabbi Grumbacher, who has served the community with honor and mentschlekeit, and absolutely thrilled to be at Beth Emeth, a congregation grounded in the roots of Reform Judaism, with a proud history of service to the community, and committed to renewal: renewal of the individual through meaningful spiritual practice, worship, and learning, renewal of the community at large through acts of tzedakah (justice)and g’milut chasadim (loving-kindness), and renewal of the world through Tikkun Olam (healing the world). I know especially that Beth Emeth has an appreciation of all that k’lal Yisrael — the entirety of Israel — has to offer, especially in an intimate and energetic community like Wilmington’s. My wife Marisa and I are very much looking forward to becoming a part of this warm and dynamic community and I’m personally excited for the opportunity to collaborate with my rabbinic colleagues, with the JCC and its early learning center, Federation and the other institutions and individuals of Jewish communal life in Wilmington.”
Rabbi Robinson is a STAR PEER fellow, graduate of Oberlin College and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He was born to Rabbi Harold and Miriam Robinson and raised in Hyannis, Massachusetts, along with his sister Dori. He was active in NFTY and Jewish camping, as well as congregational leadership. It was learning from his father and watching him in his vocation—caring for the sick and the sick of heart, teaching text and tradition to the young and the experienced, and bringing a love of Judaism into everything he did—that he developed his love of, and his own calling to, the rabbinate; his love of study, of text, of Jewish lives and Jewish living.
Conversion
For information on conversion to Judaism, please contact Rabbi Robinson through the temple office at (302) 764-2393.
While a student at HUC, he served as student-rabbi of Columbus Hebrew Congregation and Temple Beth El of Muncie, Indiana, and as rabbinic intern at KK Bene Israel/Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati, OH. Yair received his MAHL in 2002 and his rabbinic ordination in 2003, writing his rabbinic thesis on ancient and modern forms of creative liturgy. Yair has served Shir Ami of NewtownPAsince 2003. He has served on multiple panels, projects and committees, and has twice presented at URJ biennial. He takes a special interest in teaching, Shir Ami’s 20s/30s Chavurah, and in Shir Ami’s Synaplex™ program and the Call Synagogue Home™ Outreach project.
He married Marisa Hume Prell of Arlington, VA in 2000, and they have a toddler son, Elishai, who brings them much joy. In addition to his work, he enjoys writing (especially poetry) and reading, theater, fencing, science fiction and fantasy literature, (bad) cinema, art, classical, jazz and alternative rock music, Japanese aesthetics and interior design, and other eclectic pursuits.
