Rabbi Dr. Barry Leff is the
spiritual leader of Congregation B’nai Israel in Toledo, Ohio.Rabbi
Leff received his ordination as a Conservative rabbi from the Ziegler School of
Rabbinic
Studies at the University
of
Judaism
in
Los Angeles.Prior
to coming to Toledo
he
served congregations in
Vancouver,
British Columbia
and Tucson, Arizona.
Rabbi Leff was called to the rabbinate as a second career.
He worked as a high-tech
executive and entrepreneur in California’s
Silicon Valley
for 20 years before his change in
careers.He started a high-tech manufacturing firm and served as CEO as it grew
from
nothing to 90 employees.He has a
PhD in Business Administration from Golden Gate
University
in San Francisco.A
frequent flier in his business days, Rabbi Leff has been to
over 60 countries.Born in Germany, he has lived in Thailand,
Iran, Canada, and Israel.
In addition to his responsibilities with his congregation, Rabbi Leff is active
in ecumenical
work and social justice.He serves
on the board of directors of Rabbis for Human Rights, an
organization dedicated to working to protect the human rights of all people,
especially in
America
and Israel.
Rabbi Leff lives in Toledo
with his wife Lauri and the three youngest of his five daughters.
