Rabbi Leana Moritt joined the Roosevelt Island Jewish Community as their Rabbi and Spiritual Leader in the fall of 2007. A native New Yorker, she was ordained in 2008 by the Academy for Jewish Religion, the nation's first Jewish pluralistic seminary, which is in Riverdale.
Rabbi Moritt is known for her thoughtful sermons, which draw lessons for active Jewish observance from the torah. Her leadership of services creates an atmosphere of warmth, participation and enrichment. Her focus on adult education serves to deepen our understanding of Jewish tradition, celebration and history. In teaching our children, Rabbi Moritt emphasizes the personal connection to our global community.
Rabbi Moritt also serves as the Director of Jewish Outreach at the 92nd Street Y, where she has been teaching and counseling since 2001. There she is known for her ability to transmit a Judaism which is accessible, joyful and traditional yet relevant and modern. Through her work with the renowned introduction to Judaism program, Derekh Torah ("Way of Torah"), she has been guiding Jews, interfaith couples, families and Jews by choice toward more meaningful Jewish lives and a deeper understanding of Judaism.
In addition, Rabbi Moritt has developed and directed many Jewish family, adult and children's programs for the 92nd Street Y, such as: "After the Huppah: Making Marriage Work," for couples preparing to marry and newlyweds; "Bringing It Home: Habaita," an educational series for parents seeking to create meaningful Jewish experiences for their families; The Connect Jewish after school program; "Rabbi, I Was Wondering" and the prestigious Everett Institutes.
She is also a member of OHALAH, the Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal and the National Association of Jewish Chaplains.
An active leader in the Jewish community in and around New York for many years, she co-founded Congregation Kol HaNeshamah, in Englewood, NJ. Rabbi Moritt has trained as a chaplain at the Hackensack University Medical Center, where she currently sits on their Interfaith Pastoral Care Committee. She has served and taught in Congregation B'nai Jeshurun on the Upper West Side for many years and has served as Jewish educator and prayer leader at Lishmah, the JCC on the Palisades, Elat Chayyim (the Jewish spiritual retreat center in the Catskills) and several other communities.
Rabbi Moritt is a graduate of New York University's Gallatin Division. After graduation from NYU, she embarked on a successful 10-year career as Director of Production at Arista Records where she oversaw production of albums by many artists, including Whitney Houston, Kenny G, and The Grateful Dead.
Rabbi Moritt is the mother of three teenage boys and lives in Tenafly, New Jersey.