David Straus

David Straus is Rabbi Emeritus at Main Line Reform Temple. He was appointed in July, 1998. He is only the fourth rabbi to serve in this position at Main Line Reform Temple. Rabbi Straus is active in the Jewish and non-Jewish community. He is a past president of the VAAD:  The Philadelphia Board of Rabbis, and served as chair of the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council from 2010-2014. He is a co-convener of the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia.

He is the chair of the National Council of Synagogues which meets regularly with members of the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, National Council of Churches, and the Evangelical Community. He has served on the board of Philabundance, the advisory committee of Eldernet of Lower Merion, and the Jewish Community Federation of Philadelphia.

Prior to coming to Main Line Reform Temple, Rabbi Straus served congregations in Trenton, NJ (Har Sinai Temple), Cleveland, OH (Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple) and Washington, DC (Washington Hebrew Congregation). He was ordained in 1983 at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, OH, and earned his BA from Northwestern University.  He is married to Lynne Breslau, and they are the proud parents of Julia and Max, who are both in graduate school.