Michael Strassfeld


Michael Strassfeld is an American rabbi.

Biography

Michael Strassfeld was rabbi of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism, a Manhattan synagogue. Before that he was the rabbi of Congregation Ansche Chesed.
Strassfeld is a graduate of the Maimonides School. He started college at Yeshiva University, but transferred to Brandeis University and graduated in 1971. He holds an M.A. from Brandeis Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, and completed his doctoral coursework in Jewish History at Brandeis but did not submit a thesis. He was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1991.
Strassfeld first received wide public attention as one of the authors of the Jewish Catalog. He was a leader of the Chavurah movement and was the founding chairperson of the National Havurah Committee from 1979 to 1982.
The original version of "Passover Haggadah: The Feast of Freedom" was edited by Strassfeld. After publishing it for members of the Rabbinical Assembly in their rabbinical journal, Rachel Anne Rabinowicz came on board next as editor of the project. She brought the work to its final form.
Strassfeld is married to Rabbi Joy Levitt.
He is father to sons Max, Noam, and Benjamin and stepdaughters Sara and Ruthie Friedlander, as well as being grandfather to Micah Strassfeld.

Jewish Catalog

The Jewish Catalog was published by the Jewish Publication Society of America in three volumes. It is a collection of far-ranging topics that should aid any Jew - whether steeped in tradition or just discovering Judaism - to become personally involved in aspects of Jewish life, customs, cooking, crafts and creation.

Publications