Rabbi Jonathan Aaron is Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from Emerson College in 1983. He later attended Hebrew Union College, where he received a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education in 1993, and a Master’s Degree in Hebrew Letters in 1994, and was ordained as a Rabbi in 1996. Since ordination, Rabbi Aaron has served Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills in several roles; first as an Assistant, then Associate Rabbi, and now as Co-Senior Rabbi. He has also been Director of Education, and served as the Head of Temple Emanuel Academy Day School for almost a decade.

Throughout his time with Temple Emanuel, Rabbi Aaron has continually combined Judaism with the arts, in the areas of music and theater. He has written liturgical music that is used regularly in our services, especially in our core service, The Roven Family Shabbat Unplugged, which has been a staple of our congregation for more than 15 years. He wrote a full length intergenerational musical, Hyrcanus, which he also directed at Temple Emanuel. He has also written, or co-written, numerous contemporary prayer experiences, including services of Healing, Selichot, and Shabbat, as well as scores of Purim shpiels. He is especially known for his storytelling of folktales and biblical stories, which gives joy to children (and adults) of all ages.

In the community, Rabbi Aaron serves as a sworn-in Police Chaplain in the Beverly Hills Police Department, and is on the Board of Directors at The Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills. He also has been a visiting professor at Hebrew Union College — Jewish Institute of Religion, where he has taught speech to second-year rabbinical students for more than 10 years.