Rabbi Greg Harris

Rabbi Greg Harris

gharris@bethelmc.org

301-652-2606 ext. 105

Being a rabbi is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I could ever imagine. I am continually blessed to be able to discover and share the incredible insights of our Jewish tradition with people. People frequently ask me, in one way or another, is Judaism relevant in this modern, complex, pressured time? My answer is that through conversations, study, community encounters, culture, and other modes, Judaism’s message is as relevant in our time as every earlier period.

I invite you into our community to live Judaism’s important message of hope and compassion with an orientation to fulfilling our partnership with God to perfect God’s Creation: our world. You can contact me at 301-301-652-2606, ext. 105 or gharris@bethelmc.org.

Biography

Rabbi Greg Harris is Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County.  He has a passion for social justice and interfaith activities. Beyond his many responsibilities at the congregation, Rabbi Harris is a Past President of the Washington Board of Rabbis, Founding Chair of the Pastoral Care Committee at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Board member for Camp Ramah in New England, served on the Community & Global Impact Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (JFGW), and has served on the Board of Interfaith Works, a non-profit organization working with at-risk families in Montgomery County.

Rabbi Harris was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2002 where he was the recipient of the Dr. Michael Higger Prize in Talmud.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from The American University in Washington, D.C. and later a certificate degree in Nonprofit Management from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles.  He is the founding chairperson of the Tomorrow Fellowship Jewish Communal Leadership Program. He is a past recipient of the Matthew H. Simon Rabbinic Leadership Award from JFGW.

Rabbi Harris has been a guest lecturer at the Washington College of Law, the National Defense University and the National Guard Bureau as well as a guest on The Kojo Nnambi Show and other press outlets.  In his free time, he is learning to play guitar.  He was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.  He is a proud dad to Benjamin, Maayan and Shoshana.

Office Hours with Rabbi Harris

Have a quick question or want to stop in to say hello? Need to talk for a little longer or require non-emergency pastoral care? Please email Sara Greenbaum to schedule an appointment. Please note: Rabbi Harris will be on sabbatical from June 1, 2023 – August 31, 2023.


View Rabbi Harris’s 20th Anniversary Tribute Book

Sermons

Purim at a Time of War

March 23, 2024

Why I Am Going to Israel

January 27, 2024

Reflecting on the Parasha

January 20, 2024

Blog Posts

How hard is it for you today?

November 30, 2023

By Rabbi Greg Harris.  I am emotionally exhausted. Since October 7, I have been glued to news reports, imagining the unimaginable experience of being held hostage in a Hamas terror …

Meet Rabbi Megdal at Shul

August 6, 2021

It has been a wonderful first week with Rabbi Deborah Megdal at shul.  She only began this past Monday but has already been involved in countless Zoom meetings, informal coffees …

57 Hours in Israel

June 4, 2021

If we are ‘friends’ on Facebook, you have seen my video updates from Israel.  (Click here to get to my FB page for the messages.) This week, I participated in …

Happy Mothers’ Day

May 7, 2021

We used to visit Disneyland frequently.  My parents grew up in Southern California so family trips from the San Francisco Bay Area were common.  Here we are, probably 45 years …

Respect: A Lesson of Lag B’Omer

April 29, 2021

This is the fifth week of the month. For Reflections Off the Bimah, the fifth week is a bonus and features thought leaders from throughout the Jewish world and beyond. …