Rabbi Bruce J. Pfeffer, MAHL, BCC

About

Rabbi Bruce J. Pfeffer was born in the Bronx, New York; grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey; attended the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut; was graduated (1986) and worked as an Industrial Engineer. He went back to school and was ordained rabbi at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio (2000), and earned the qualification of board-certified chaplain (2007). His chaplaincy work has included hospital inpatient, and outpatient care, and research as an interventionist, currently at IU Health, as well as hospice work, currently at ARN Hospice.

Rabbi Pfeffer also leads congregations in prayer (the Mattoon Jewish Community Center, and the DePauw University Hillel) and teaches religious school where he enjoys challenging his students in all areas, such as their understanding of the world, of Jews, of Hebrew and of God (Congregation Beth-El Zedeck).

He was convening chair of the Indiana Board of Rabbis in 2011; is a member of the Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance (GIMA); he gave the Hebrew Testament Reading at the Indiana Leadership Prayer Breakfast (2015) and served on the Breakfast’s steering committee. Additionally, he has served on the Conference on Ministry with the Aging Committee (Southern Indiana).

He is past vice president of the Marion County Master Gardener Association, where he learned to be a volunteer auctioneer.  He is a baker of bread, maker of yogurt, and student (and sometimes teacher) of crochet, origami, haiku, and bookbinding.

Rabbi Pfeffer and his wife, Dr. Amy Beth Kressel, have two wonderful children.