Rabbi Max Chaiken
Rabbi Max Chaiken has served Temple Emanuel of Andover, MA since July of 2021. They were ordained in 2018 at HUC-JIR and previously served Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, where they founded and directed The Open Yad Project, a community of adults in their 20s & 30s.
An avid guitar player, singer, and writer, Rabbi Max facilitates weekly and holiday music for worship, and offers a creative and pastoral presence to the congregation. They wrote their rabbinic thesis on economics, ethics, and Jewish law, and holds a B.A. in Economics and Public Policy from Brown University.
Please be in touch!
Published Torah Commentaries
High Holy Day Sermons
Erev Rosh Hashanah: Audacious Hospitality
Rosh Hashanah: Food Waste, Climate Change and your Fridge
Yom Kippur:
Israel, Democracy, and Me
Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day:
Climate Change and Midrash
Poetry & Prayer
In addition to writing music, Max often composes their own kavanot, prayerful poetry or liturgy that interprets themes and motifs from Jewish tradition and prayer.
I do not know (in memory of George Floyd z'l)
Mah Rabu (created with Adult B'nai Mitzvah students)
May the One (adapted from Chaim Stern June 2020)
Holocaust Yizkor Memorial Reading - An Alphabet of Woe
Music & Teaching