Rabbi Robert Layman

Until his retirement in June 2001, Rabbi Layman served as Executive Director of the Delaware Valley and Eastern Pennsylvania Regions (since merged into the Mid-Atlantic Region) of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.  He was appointed to that position in 1987 after having served for thirteen years as the rabbi of Beth Tikvah-B’nai Jeshurun, a congregation in suburban Philadelphia.  Previously he held posts as rabbi or educational director of congregations in New Jersey, Rhode Island, and eastern Pennsylvania.  In 1972-73 he was vice-principal of the ORT High School in Ashkelon, Israel.

For many years, Rabbi Layman worked in volunteer roles for United Synagogue (USCJ) on the Commission on Jewish Education as a member of the Special Education Committee for which he wrote or edited a number of publications.  He also served as part-time Education Director of the Board of Jewish Education of the Delaware Valley Region (1980-84).

Rabbi Layman, a native of Philadelphia, was educated in the city’s public schools, including Central High School (192nd class), and holds a B.A. degree from Temple University and a Teacher’s Diploma from Gratz College.  He was ordained, received an M.H.L. degree and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  He has taken post-graduate courses at the Seminary and Dropsie College and training programs of the Jewish Chaplaincy Service of Philadelphia.

Rabbi Layman has been an active member of professional organizations and has served as president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia (1987-89), the Rabbinical Assembly of Greater Philadelphia (1980-82), and the Tri-County Board of Rabbis of Southern New Jersey (1971-72).  In the larger community he has served on the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, on several of its committees, and the Board of the Jewish Community Relations Council.  He is a former chairman of the Board of the Jewish Community High School of Gratz College and is currently a member of the College’s Board of Regents.  For most of 2009 he was the Interim Director of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia.  He is currently a member of the faculty of Temple University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).

For about twenty years, Rabbi Layman wrote an occasional column in the Jewish Exponent called “Speaking of Names,” under the pseudonym Haim Reuveni.

Rabbi Layman and his wife Ruth (nee Apatoff) have been married for over 55 years.  They have two sons, David and Rabbi Jonah and four grandchildren, Elisheva, Ilan, Aliza, and Eytan.