Aug 13, 2008 -- Some of Rabbi Akiva Males' fondest childhood memories of Cleveland , Ohio revolve around the warm and friendly shul that his family was actively involved in. He vividly recalls clutching his father's hand while trudging to shul through wintery blizzards on Shabbos mornings, leading as much of the services as possible, the relationships he enjoyed with his family's rabbi/candy-man, the older characters in shul, as well as the synagogue's youth.

As a pulpit rabbi, Rabbi Males hopes he can play a role in helping a new generation of Jewish youth gain as many happy childhood memories from their shul experiences as he did.

Rabbi Males received his Jewish education at the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, the Wisconsin Institute For Torah Studies (W.I.T.S.), and Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim (Rabbinical Seminary of America) based in Queens , NY - from where he received his semicha.

In the summer of 2007, Rabbi Males and his wife Layala (nee Feintuch - of Brooklyn , NY ) moved from Kew Gardens Hills , NY to Harrisburg , PA to become the rabbinic fellow of Kesher Israel Congregation. In that capacity, he assisted the senior rabbi in all facets of the rabbinate. In November of 2008, upon the senior rabbi's retirement, Rabbi Males assumed all of the rabbinic responsibilities at Kesher Israel Congregation.

While serving Kesher Israel , Rabbi Males has introduced many new programs and has been hard at work reaching out to the Jewish community of Harrisburg , PA.

Looking back on his time spent in Harrisburg so far, he comments, "So much has happened since Layala and I moved here. We've found ourselves in scenarios we could never have imagined beforehand, we have built special relationships with so many wonderful people, and as a couple, we have learned so much."

Rabbi Males thanks the RCA for all of the assistance they have offered him in his career.

Click here to see a short video clip of Rabbi Akiva Males offering the opening benediction before the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington , D.C.