Zvi Dershowitz

Early life

Dershowitz was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1928. In 1938, just 33 days before the Nazis invaded, Dershowitz fled the country with his family (when he was just 10 years old). On February 2, 1939, Zvi emigrated to New York City along with his parents, Aaron and Ruth, and sister Lili. They settled in Brooklyn, in the Williamsburg neighborhood. There, he learned English, attended Mesivta Torah Vodaath, and became ordained as an orthodox rabbi in 1953. However, throughout his life, Dershowitz affiliated with Conservative Judaism, and to this day considers himself a conservative rabbi.

As a teenager, Zvi was very involved in advocating for a Jewish state. In 1949, he spent a year studying in Jerusalem. There, he helped Jewish refugees from Yemen and other foreign nations settle in the newly established Israel. Dershowitz met his wife, Tova (z"l) while recruiting in Ithaca, New York for Camp Soleil. They married in 1953.

Career

Dershowitz later became rabbi at Temple Beth Shalom in Kansas City, Missouri before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota where he became a rabbi at the Temple of Aaron. He later went on to direct many Jewish summer camps, including Herzl Camp in Wisconsin from 1954-1961, Camp Alonim/Brandeis-Bardin Institute (BCI) in Simi Valley, CA, from 1961-1963, and directed Camp Ramah in California for 10 years, from 1963-1973, making him the longest serving director in that camp's history.

In 1973, Dershowitz became associate rabbi at Sinai Temple. He would remain in that role for 25 years before becoming the synagogue's Rabbi Emeritus in 1998. He also served as the synagogue's interim head rabbi on many occasions, including the year before Rabbi David Wolpe was hired. In his tenure at Sinai, he helped Iranian Jews who were fleeing their country get entry to the United States in 1979. Rabbi Dershowitz is credited with welcoming them to the community and helping them adjust to life in America. An immigrant himself, Dershowitz said, "I believe every Jew is responsible for every other Jew.” Rabbi Dershowitz is also credited with serving the congregation well in times of crisis. He retired after 25 years of serving on the pulpit, and currently serves as the congregation's Rabbi Emeritus, thereby making him the longest serving rabbi in Sinai Temple's history. He is currently in his 45th year at the synagogue. Dershowitz continues to work with bar/bat Mitzvah students at the synagogue, and also conducts life cycle events including baby namings, weddings, and funerals.

For many years, Rabbi Dershowitz also served as the chaplain from the local Board of Rabbis of Southern California to the Los Angeles jail system.

Personal life

Dershowitz is related to Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz. Rabbi Dershowitz and his wife, Tova (z"l), have four children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.