[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 19, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E37-E38]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO RABBI JOEL E. REMBAUM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 19, 2010

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, we are honored to pay tribute to our 
friend, Rabbi Joel E. Rembaum, on the occasion of his 25 years of 
service to Temple Beth Am and the Pressman Academy.
  Rabbi Rembaum's lifelong dedication to the Jewish community started 
at an early age when he was a camper at Camp Ramah. Soon after he 
graduated from UCLA with his masters, he left for New York where he 
earned his ordination as a Rabbi from the Jewish Theological Seminary 
of America. Rabbi Rembaum returned to Los Angeles where he earned a 
Ph.D. in history at UCLA.

[[Page E38]]

He also holds the degrees of Master of Hebrew Literature and Doctor of 
Divinity, Honoris Causa, from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
  Rabbi Rembaum was part of the well renowned faculty and 
administration of the American Jewish University from 1970 to 1985, 
pursuing his steadfast vocational climb to the positions of Dean of 
Undergraduate Studies and eventually becoming an associate professor of 
Jewish history. He was a visiting assistant professor at UCLA and UC 
Irvine. He then taught at the Wexner Heritage Foundation and served on 
the faculty of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. He has received 
countless graduate and research fellowships and contributed to the 
Melton Research Institute Seminar in Jewish History. He was also a 
member of the board of directors of the Association for Jewish Studies. 
Rabbi Rembaum has published an impressive variety of articles in the 
field of Jewish history and has lectured extensively throughout the 
United States.
  Since July 1985, Rabbi Joel E. Rembaum has passionately served as 
Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles, California. As Senior 
Rabbi, he successfully launched a reform of the synagogue's education 
system and worked with the congregation's lay and professional 
leadership to construct the Rabbi Jacob Pressman Academy. I commend 
Rabbi Rembaum for making the academy a holistic educational system. 
Nevertheless year after year, Rabbi Rembaum has continued teaching in 
all facets of Beth Am's educational programming, in which he continues 
to inspire and touch the lives of students and faculty.
  Rabbi Rembaum lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Fredi, herself a 
respected and prominent Jewish public professional. The Rembaums have 
four children: Yona, Avi, Nomi, and Joshua. They also have six 
grandchildren: Itai, Dani and Ella Rembaum and Ilan, Uri and Maayan 
Eshkenazi.
  Madam Speaker and distinguished colleagues, we ask you to join me in 
saluting Joel E. Rembaum for his impressive career and dedication to 
the Jewish community, and to congratulate him on his service to Temple 
Beth Am and the Pressman Academy.

                          ____________________