Rabbi Colin Brodie
Rabbi Colin Brodie is the spiritual leader of Or Hadash with Rabbi Josh Ratner. A native of London, England and a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, Rabbi Brodie has an MA from University College London, and a certificate in Pastoral Counseling from the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in New York City. Rabbi Brodie’s previous experience includes serving as the spiritual leader of Congregation B'nai Torah, Temple Beth Shalom in Mahopac, NY and as school counselor at the Ezra Academy in Woodbridge, CT.
He brings a high level of enthusiasm to Or Hadash and his experience working with children, teens, adults and seniors makes him a perfect fit for us.
Rabbi Colin is committed to being the “shaliach tzibor,” serving the congregation. He brings a cantorial singing voice and a desire to continue Or Hadash's focus as the center of Jewish family life in the greater Fairfield/Trumbull area. Rabbi Brodie’s excitement can be summed up in his statement,
“Our congregation offers the opportunity to explore Judaism, to learn and to pray, all within the setting of a truly inspirational sanctuary. I see Or Hadash as a community that is committed to being there for one another in times of joy and in times of tragedy and need. I look forward to welcoming guests and others interested in joining us in services, activities and the congregation.”
Rabbi Colin’s wife, Rabbi Amanda Brodie, is also a talented Jewish educator and an active part of the Or Hadash community. They have three children, Yonaton, Elisheva and Rafi.
Rabbi Joshua Ratner
Rabbi Josh Ratner is a community leader, educator, spiritual adviser, and social justice advocate. He most recently served as the Director of Advocacy at JLens, a Jewish non-profit organization engaging corporate America on social, environmental, and Israel-oriented issues on behalf of Jewish foundations and philanthropies. Rabbi Ratner previously served as the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New Haven, Associate Rabbi and Jewish Educator at Yale Hillel, and as a pulpit rabbi at Congregation Kol Ami in Cheshire, Connecticut.
Rabbi Ratner is a board member of the Jewish sustainability organization Hazon, a Global Justice Fellow with American Jewish World Service, and a Rabbinic Fellow of CLAL’s Rabbis Without Borders program. His writings about the interplay between Judaism and contemporary topics have been featured on myjewishlearning.com. Rabbi Ratner was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, and is a graduate of both Columbia University and Columbia Law School. He was a corporate attorney before entering rabbinical school. He and his wife, Dr. Elena Ratner, are the proud parents of Dimitri, Elijah, Gabriella, and Sasha.
