Rabbi Reuven Silverman

Tell us about a typical week
It revolves around Shabbat. The rest of the time is spent attending to the varied needs of members, planning and preparing events, counselling and teaching adults and children.

Tell us what you like most about your role
It is a great privilege to be so intimately involved with people’s Jewish lives from birth to death. I get a big buzz out of seeing bar- and batmitzvahs do well. Even greater, years later, officiating at their marriages. Being a rabbi has given me interesting outside opportunities such as teaching university students, interfaith work and broadcasting on national radio. Being a rabbi is more than a job for me. It is integral to my identity and is the fulfilment of a childhood vocation.

What do you do with your time off?
I like learning modern languages and using them abroad. My wife and I are keen ornithologists and enjoy travelling, especially to Israel for birdwatching as well as to see our Israeli son. I do voluntary counselling work for charities and am patron of the Brookvale home in Manchester.

Define your Judaism
Constantly exploring Jewish sources to enrich life in a predominantly secular society.