(New York, NY) Nov 16, 2005 -- Rabbi Jonathan Reiss

Beth Din of America

Rabbi Jonathan (Yona) Reiss graduated from Yeshiva University in 1987 with a BA in philosophy. He received Yoreh Yoreh semicha in 1991 and Yadin Yadin semicha in 2002. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1992, and served as senior editor of the Yale Law Journal.

From 1992 through 1998, Rabbi Reiss worked as an associate at the international law firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in New York City. He continued to perform work as a part-time associate for the firm until 1999.

Rabbi Reiss has served as the Director of the Beth Din of America since 1998. The Beth Din, which is affiliated with the Rabbinical Council of America, is the largest rabbinical court in this country, handling over 500 cases a year in the areas of Jewish Divorce (Gittin), commercial arbitrations (Dinei Torah), mediation, and resolution of personal status issues.

Rabbi Reiss also serves on the editorial board of Tradition. In addition to being a member of the American Bar Association, he is a certified mediator for the City of New York court system and is a member of the Family and Divorce Mediation Council for New York.

As a frequent writer on a variety of topics relating to both Jewish law and secular law, Rabbi Reiss has published articles in Techumin, Journal of Halakha and Contemporary Society, Sha’arei Tzedek Journal, the Temple Environmental Law and Technology Journal, and New York Law Journal. He has delivered over one hundred lectures, including several lectures at the Halikhot Am Yisrael annual international conference of dayanim in Jerusalem, and recent lectures at the Spring Meeting of the Section of International Law and Practice of the American Bar Association and Touro Law School.

In addition to serving as Director of the Beth Din, Rabbi Reiss is a Rosh Kollel of the YU Summer Kollel program in Atlanta, Georgia. He has also given a course for the Union of Orthodox Congregations of America – Women’s Torah Study program on the topic of Life, Love and Philosophy: Studies in Kohelet.

When asked what accomplishments he values most, Rabbi Reiss cites his role in helping to resolve Agunah cases and popularizing use of the RCA pre-nuptial agreement as a protection against future Agunah problems. He is also gratified that the Beth Din of America has earned a reputation for professionalism and competence in the disposition of difficult and complicated cases. Among the Beth Din’s most public roles in recent years was its successful resolution of numerous Agunah cases in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Rabbi Reiss likes to say that “the difference between nothing and something is everything.” While Chazal teach us that the work is not for us to complete by ourselves, Rabbi Reiss notes that we are duty bound according to our Sages to contribute our modest abilities to make the world a better place (Avot 2:21). The rewards for making that effort, observes Rabbi Reiss, are immeasurable.

Rabbi Reiss lives in Riverdale, New York with his wife Mindy and their four sons.