Rabbi Sanford Akselrad
Congregation Ner Tamid
Henderson, NV
Sponsor: Rep. Jacky Rosen, (D-NV)
Date of Prayer: 03/28/2017
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Ms. ROSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here today and introduce my friend, Rabbi Sanford Akselrad. As leader of Congregation Ner Tamid, he has been a friend, a mentor, and my rabbi for 25 years.
His vision for a campus, a spiritual hub, has been realized in his nearly 30–year career at Congregation Ner Tamid. He has led us with strength, with poise, and with wisdom as he has shared in the sorrows and joys––from the simchas to the shivas––of our entire community.
His work in both the outreach and interfaith communities has left impact and meaning on so many lives across the Las Vegas Valley and beyond. May he continue to serve us all with grace, compassion, and strength.
Mr. Speaker, as leader of Congregation Ner Tamid, he has been a friend, a mentor, and my rabbi for 25 years.
Since moving to Las Vegas in 1988, Rabbi Akselrad has served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Ner Tamid. His vision for a campus, a spiritual hub has been realized in his nearly 30–year career at Congregation Ner Tamid.
He has led us with strength, with poise, and with wisdom and has shared in the sorrows and joys from the simchas to the shivas of our entire community.
His work in both the Interfaith and Outreach communities has left impact and meaning on so many families across the Las Vegas Valley.
His unwavering commitment to building a strong community as our
Congregation's spiritual leader and in creating a vibrant Jewish community in Southern Nevada has not gone unnoticed.
During this time, the Synagogue grew from approximately 60 to over 600 families, becoming the largest Reform Synagogue in the State of Nevada. In his nearly 27 years of service to our Congregation, Rabbi Akselrad has served on a wide variety of community boards including the Humana Hospital Pastoral Advisory Board, the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, Jewish Family Services and the National Conference of Community and Justice.
A firm believer in K'lal Israel and building a strong Jewish community, Rabbi Akselrad has spearheaded many community–wide boards, commissions, and organizations that have helped shape the Jewish community we live in today.
In the wake of the Great Recession of the late 2000's, Rabbi Akselrad
envisioned Project Ezra, a partnership between the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, the Board of Rabbis, and Jewish Family Service Agency. Project Ezra helps people of all faiths secure new employment in this changing economic climate.
Rabbi Akselrad is currently a board member of the Anti–Defamation League of Las Vegas and the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada. Rabbi Akselrad has served on the National Commission on Jewish Living, Worship and Music for the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) since 1999. He has also served on the Outreach Committee (to interfaith families) of the URJ.
Rabbi Akselrad's community contributions and leadership are the best example of Congregation Ner Tamid's commitment to Tikkun Olam and Social Justice.
May he continue to serve us all with grace, compassion, and strength.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
O source of wisdom, gathered before this august body, I ask Your blessings upon us.
Decisions impacting the fate of our country weigh heavily upon our leaders. They stand here with backs bowed, eyes turned downward, shoulders formed into an amorphous shrug.
I pray, therefore, that You will grant our leaders strength to stand tall.
With eyes raised skyward, seeing today, tomorrow, and the next, let them govern our country with compassion, courage, and insight.
Let them stand tall to give voice to those who feel unheard and presence to those too long ignored.
Let the pursuit of justice and mercy lift them with heavenly wings,closer still to Heaven than before. Let them stand tall. Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory