Rabbi Melissa Buyer-Witman

Rabbi Melissa Buyer-Witman, RJE

rabbimbw@commsyn.org

516-883-3144 ext. 328

Rabbi Melissa Buyer-Witman brings over two decades of experience as a visionary rabbi, educator, and pastoral leader. She is deeply committed to making Judaism accessible and relevant, fostering connection, and nurturing a vibrant, joyful Jewish future.

Ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Buyer-Witman also holds master’s degrees in Jewish Education and Hebrew Letters. She served for 14 years as Senior Associate Rabbi and Director of Lifelong Learning at Temple Israel of the City of New York, where she shaped innovative educational models, mentored clergy and educators, and became a trusted pastoral presence for families of all ages and stages.

A passionate teacher and preacher, Rabbi Buyer-Witman is known for her ability to bring Jewish text and tradition to life in ways that inspire curiosity, meaning, and action. She has been a national voice on inclusion, interfaith engagement, and teen identity-building through travel and immersive Jewish experiences, and she edited Mishkan HaNefesh for Youth, the Reform Movement’s High Holy Day prayerbook for youth and families.

Her leadership extends beyond the synagogue, serving on the board of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, on faculty at URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps, and as a frequent writer and presenter on Jewish learning and identity.

Rabbi Buyer-Witman believes that relationships are the heart of Jewish life. She sees her role as walking alongside individuals and families, helping them deepen their sense of belonging, purpose, and connection to the Jewish story.

Her husband, Michael, and their daughters, Lily, Josie, and Nessa, join her in embracing this new chapter with The Community Synagogue. Rabbi Buyer-Witman looks forward to sharing her warmth, vision, and love of Torah while building deep and lasting connections within the community.

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