Rabbi Friedman has pursued Jewish education throughout his life.  He received S'micha (ordination) from Vaad HaRabbonim of new York in March, 2005, fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a rabbi that was kindled when he attended Hebrew Academy in Cleveland, Ohio as a child.  He has developed an understanding and appreciation of the many ways people connect with their Jewish heritage by attending services and studying with reform, conservative, and orthodox rabbis.    

Before attaining s'micha, he was already serving in a rabbinic capacity.  In 1990, at the encouragement of the Rabbi at Temple Israel in Stockton, CA., he attended the Rabbinic Aid program offered by the Union of Reform Judaism. This program prepared lay leaders to serve congregations without rabbis and to assist at congregations with rabbis.  He served as the Rabbinic aid at temple Israel for 10 years.  During this time he was also the lay leader of the Mothelode Jewish community in Murphys,California.

What it means to be part of the community at Congregation Beit Shalom:

We try to be a Kehillah Kedushah.  We make a genuine effort to rise to the words of Torah.  We strive to treat others with kindness, compassion, and patience. If we have fallen short, we try to repair our friendships.  This is like a ladder.  Step by step we hear the Torah read.  We study Talmud.  We learn Hebrew, Jewish values and ethical conduct, and we try to pray with intention.  Some of our time and money is spent performing acts of loving kindness.  

We make our lives meaningful by observing our religious days and supporting the State of Israel.  We embrace the process of Jewish identity development and neither judge others nor preclude them in their efforts to acquire increased self-understanding, practice of Judaism, and love of learning.

Beit Shalom is a diverse community.  We have members of all ages, differing backgrounds, having diverse talents, interests, lifestyles, and perspectives. We are unified as a people in the love and support of our Land.  The violence there saddens us all.  We take action by replacement of trees destroyed by rockets falling in Israel's northern region. We pray together for peace.  We make trips to Israel, individually and as a community.  

We celebrate Shabbat, the holidays, attend lifecycle events, celebrate Israeli Independence Day, and focus on the spark of the spirit - - given to each of us by G-d.  The spark warms, heats, and sustains. That spark is the soul that due to its essence, makes us all equal.