Josh Shapiro is a fifth-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. He grew up in Needham, Massachusetts as a third generation member of Temple Beth Shalom. In the summer, he attended URJ Crane Lake Camp in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and was involved in his local and regional youth groups.

Josh received his B.A. in Financial Economics with minors in Jewish Studies and Hebrew from the University of Rochester. While in college, he continued his experience with Jewish camping as a staff member at URJ Eisner camp.

While attending HUC-JIR, he has had the privilege of serving congregations across California in San Diego, Culver City, Lancaster, and Merced. He has also completed one unit of clinical pastoral education as a interfaith chaplain intern at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. Josh’s time working with patients at this psychiatric hospital has inspired his congregational work to better support the mental health challenges of our times.

Josh can often be found joyfully clapping along to Shabbat melodies, playing a game of mahjong, or enjoying nature at the nearest disc golf course.