Brian Glusman

Brian Glusman (born December 30, 1961 in Huntsville) was rabbi of Temple Beth-El from July 2001 to June 2009.

Glusman's great-grandfather, George Tunkle, was a teacher in the community Hebrew school and early member of Temple Beth-El. His grandfather and uncle were both well-known jazz musicians in Birmingham. They also owned and operated Tunkle's Grill in downtown Birmingham. Though Glusman was born in Huntsville and raised in Atlanta, he became the fourth generation of his family to live in Birmingham.

Glusman has a master of arts in counseling and is a certified marriage and family therapist. He was working in sales when his rabbi, Leonid Feldman at Temple Emanu-El in Palm Beach, Florida began cultivating in him an interest in serving his faith. At Temple Emanu-El, he worked as a program director, youth director, ritual director, Torah reader and rabbinic associate. He was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York, one of the only multi-denominational pluralistic rabbinical seminaries in the United States.

Before his arrival in Birmingham, Glusman was the rabbi of Temple Shalom in Colorado Springs, Colorado. At Beth-El, Glusman sought to invigorate worship, using a guitar during services. He has conducted many workshops for Jewish educators and has been a featured speaker at seminars for Jewish leaders. He has served as scholar-in-residence at the JNF's National Young Leadership Retreat and at the Southeastern UJC's Young Leadership Conference. Glusman has also been involved in extensive outreach work with recovering Jewish alcoholics and substance abusers.

Glusman is a member of the RRA (Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association) and the Rabbinic Cabinet of the UJC (United Jewish Communities). He was one of 25 rabbis chosen in February, 2002 to participate in a Rabbinic seminar and retreat on “Religious Pluralism-Judaism in the 21st Century” sponsored by the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. Glusman was succeeded by Michelle Goldsmith in 2009.

Glusman and his wife, Laurie operate an e-commerce business called Valley Enterprises. Glusman also works as a search engine optimization consultant.

Preceded by: ?

Rabbi of Temple Beth-El 2001 - 2009

Succeeded by: Michelle Goldsmith

References

• Maeroff, Gene I. (1992) Sources of Inspiration: 15 Modern Religious Leaders. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield ISBN 1556125569
• Garrison, Greg (June 13, 2009) "Birmingham, Alabama rabbi turns e-commerce entrepreneur." Birmingham News