Our Staff and Leadership

Hello! My name is Rabbi Jared H. Saks and I have served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Bet Ha’am since 2011. I currently live in Portland with my husband, our son, and our inimitable dog, Vegas. I am a New Jersey native, born and raised in rural northwestern New Jersey, where I was one of 10 Jewish students in my high school of 1200. Being Jewish has always been a central component of my identity. From displaying my Hebrew name in my public school classroom in third grade for back-to-school night, to leading Shabbat worship at Florida State University through my college year, to exploring Costa Rican Jewish history during a summer studying abroad, living a Jewish life has always been a defining characteristic of my my life.

I was raised at Temple Shalom in Succasunna, New Jersey, where my rabbi, Joel Soffin, had a congregational question:  How can we help? These four simple words became the foundation of what it means for me to be Jewish. I first learned to live a Jewish life through the lens of tikkun olam, the repair of our world. I believe that our covenantal relationship with God requires us to be God’s partners in this world, that God is not the cause of suffering, but that we are God’s agents in alleviating it. My rabbinate is framed by a teaching of one of the greatest Talmudists of the nineteenth century, Rabbi Hayyim of Brisk, who when asked by his disciples to define the task of the rabbi, replied:  To redress the grievances of those who are abandoned and alone, to protect the dignity of the poor, and to save the oppressed from the hands of the oppressor.”

The synagogue of the 21^st century has a lot to offer the Jewish people:  fulfilling worship, meaningful holiday observances, engaging lifelong Jewish learning, social connections, leadership development, and more. But I believe the most unique offering of the synagogue of the 21^st century is the ability to use our Jewish values to harness communal power and bring about real change in a world that is so much in need of it and of us. What is the point of retelling our liberation story at Passover if we are not working for the liberation of others? What value does our observance of Tu BiSh’vat have if we don’t commit ourselves to protecting the environment and pursuing climate justice? Why learn Torah texts that teach us of our vulnerability if we are not aiming to support those who are at greatest risk today? In Hebrew, Jewish law is called halachah, literally ‘the way,’ or ‘the path.’ Judaism affords us with a framework with which to walk with God, to be God’s partners in this world, and to work towards the world’s perfections. I’m excited our life’s paths have intersected and look forward to getting to know you as we walk with God and engage in this sacred work.