Shmuel Herzfeld

Shmuel Herzfeld (born October 9, 1974) is an American Open Orthodox rabbi. He heads Ohev Shalom Synagogue in Washington, DC. He is a teacher, lecturer, activist, and author.

Herzfeld is from Staten Island, New York City, New York. He is one of five children. His brother Akiva is also a Rabbi. His eldest brother Baruch is the founder and CEO of ZenoRadio and ZenoLive.

He received his smicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in 1999. He also received a Masters in Medieval Jewish History from Yeshiva University under the guidance of Dr. Haym Soloveitchik, where he wrote on the topic of Hechlid Be-Miut Simanim. He started a PhD under Soloveitchik but subsequently chose a career in the rabbinate, abandoning his doctorate.

Herzfeld served as the assistant rabbi under Rabbi Avi Weiss at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale from 1999 to 2004 before transferring to Ohev Sholom.

From 2008 to 2010, Herzfeld hosted a weekly radio show called Shmoozin' with Shmuel, which was aimed at Jews in the Washington, DC community, and frequently wrote columns in newspapers. His writings have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, the New York Sun, The Jewish Week, The Forward, and Washington Jewish Week. He has appeared in the national news, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, CNN and Fox News. On May 23, 2014, Herzfeld delivered the opening prayer for the United States House of Representatives as a guest Chaplain.

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