Rabbi Ben Newman

Rabbi Ben Newman is a Jewish-Buddhist rabbi, writer, and musician who helps people build lives rooted in meaning, integrity, and connection. He serves as co-rabbi of Pleasantville Community Synagogue in Pleasantville, New York, alongside his wife, Rabbi Shoshana Leis.

Ordained in 2006 by the Academy for Jewish Religion, Rabbi Ben has served communities in New York and Colorado, including Temple Beth Shalom in Hastings-on-Hudson and Har Shalom in Fort Collins. He also served as Director of Spiritual Life at the Shames JCC in Tarrytown, where his work included spiritual leadership and community-building initiatives.

In 2016, he founded Shtiebel in the Rivertowns, a low-barrier, high-engagement Saturday night Havdalah gathering that brings together people across ages, denominations, and spiritual backgrounds. Shtiebel is now part of the life of Pleasantville Community Synagogue and remains open to all.

Rabbi Ben is a singer-songwriter and innovative service leader who loves chanting and leading with guitar and ukulele. He has studied widely, including at Nanzan University in Japan, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and the Jewish Theological Seminary. His books explore Jewish spirituality, mindfulness, and modern life, including AI for Clergy, The 10 Pathways, 52 Gates: Reflections on Living, and The Ten Precepts: A Jewish-Buddhist Translation of the Ten Commandments. He also writes children’s books, including Thinking about G!d and The Enchanted Sukkah, and loves helping kids become authors by turning ancient stories into their own creations.

He lives in Dobbs Ferry, New York with his family.