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Rabbi Max Chaiken

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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

ReformJudaism.org

High Holy Day Sermons

Rosh Hashanah:

Food Waste, Climate Change 

and Your Fridge

Yom Kippur:

Israel, Democracy, and Me

(prior to 10/7)

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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)

Rosh Hashanah Hineini 2023

Holocaust Yizkor Memorial Reading - An Alphabet of Woe

Music & Teaching

Before beginning rabbinic studies, Max spent several years working in synagogue religious schools and Jewish day schools. They've taught everything from Hebrew and prayer to second grade science and spelling, and love learning with people of all ages. Music was one of the first ways Max connected with Judaism. They have composed several melodies for use in prayer, several of which have been published through Transcontinental Music. You can even find an amateur self-produced 2012 album, "All That Breathes," on Spotify or iTunes. Take a listen to their most well-known song, Eliyahu Hanavi!
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