Michael Weiss } Special to the Jewish News
Rabbi Jared Anstandig returns to join the Ann Arbor Jewish community.
After 35 years under the leadership of retiring Rabbi Rod Glogower, the Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan (AAOM) and University of Michigan Hillel are preparing this summer to welcome Rabbi Jared Anstandig to the new leadership role of rabbi of the Ann Arbor Orthodox community.
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A native of West Bloomfield, Anstandig was ordained at Yeshiva University, where he also earned degrees in Judaic and biblical studies. He completed rabbinic internships at the Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York, Kesher Israel in Washington, D.C., and Congregation Shaare Tefilah in New Jersey, and taught in the Upper School at Ramaz, a co-educational Modern Orthodox day school in Manhattan.
“As someone who grew up in Metro Detroit, coming back to Michigan really feels like coming home,” Anstandig said. “In high school, I always thought of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan as very special places, and it’s very exciting to become part of this wonderful community.”
In his new position, beginning in July, Anstandig will work through Michigan Hillel, leading the AAOM and the student Orthodox community, which hold joint services all year in the Hillel building.
“Ann Arbor has a small but really unique and strong Orthodox community, and I’m looking forward to being in a community where I can have a real impact,” Anstandig said.
Monica Rosen of the AAOM, and Tilly Shames of Michigan Hillel, co-led the extensive search.
“Rabbi Anstandig possesses all of the qualities we were looking for in a rabbinic leader — he is kind, extremely knowledgeable and very personable,” Rosen said.
Shames, Michigan Hillel executive director, said, “We are very excited to have Rabbi Anstandig join our staff team and be a resource for our Orthodox student community. It is a pleasure to watch him interact with students, showing a deep interest in their experiences on campus and thoughtful understanding of their needs as students.”
Anstandig also serves in the Chaplain Corps in the U.S. Army Reserve.
“Working and training with soldiers of all religious backgrounds has been an inspirational experience,” Anstandig said. “Just recently, a casual question from a soldier about whether Jews practice ‘tithing’ led to a really rich and rewarding group conversation about the purpose of charity, how we all have a responsibility to help the needy and how we can best meet that obligation.
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“As I listened to these soldiers engaging with really important ethical and pragmatic issues, I thought, ‘This is Talmud — this is its essence, right here,’” he said.
Anstandig’s wife, Sarit, is also an accomplished Jewish educator. An East Coast native, she is looking forward to exploring what Orthodox Jewish life is like in a smaller, more intimate community, and hopes to find a role in Jewish education and community service locally.
One of the most gratifying aspects of his new position, Anstandig said, is the warm welcome from Rabbi Glogower, who will retire this summer.
“This has been an important year of evolution for the Minyan. We have been led for more than 30 years by Rabbi Rod Glogower, who has left an indelible impression on scores of local families and generations of students,” said AAOM President Marc Bernstein. “AAOM and U-M Hillel are thrilled Rabbi Anstandig and Sarit will be joining our community.”
Anstandig’s position at Michigan Hillel begins in mid-July; he ex-pects to begin leading AAOM in the week of July 23. @
