Testimonials
The love of your life
Rabbi Greenspoon was fantastic to work with as a wedding officiant. He accommodated our dynamic requests for our unique, interfaith wedding ceremony. He went above and beyond, staying after hours to ensure everything was perfect and all our documentation was good to go. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience, highly recommended!
— Jeff Schwartz, Burke, VA
I can’t say enough great things about Rabbi Greenspoon. From the moment we met him, we knew he was the perfect choice to officiate our wedding. His warmth, kindness, and sense of humor made us feel instantly at ease, and he took the time to really get to know us as a couple and understand our values and beliefs.
On the day of our wedding, Rabbi Greenspoon was an absolute rock star. He delivered a beautiful and personalized ceremony that perfectly captured the spirit of our relationship and the love we have for each other. His words were heartfelt and meaningful.
Not only did Rabbi Greenspoon do an amazing job with the ceremony itself, but he also went above and beyond to make sure we felt supported and cared for throughout the entire wedding planning process. He was always available to answer our questions and provide guidance.
We could not have asked for a better rabbi to officiate our wedding. Rabbi Greenspoon is an incredibly kind, compassionate, and we feel so lucky to have had him be a part of our special day. We highly recommend him to anyone looking for a wedding officiant, and we are forever grateful for the beautiful memories he helped us create.
— DR, Baltimore, MD
For anyone looking for a completely customized Jewish ceremony, Rabbi Greenspoon is the person for you! Rabbi Greenspoon was my childhood rabbi, and nearly twenty years later we came full circle when he married me and my husband in a one-of-a-kind interfaith ceremony. Raised Jewish, my religion has meant different things to me throughout the years, but I knew I wanted my wedding ceremony to be centered around Jewish customs and practices. My husband, being raised in a completely different religion, had no idea what a Jewish ceremony entailed, but Rabbi Greenspoon took the time to counsel us throughout the entire process and helped make our beautiful ceremony feel absolutely authentic to who we are as a couple!
— Ali (Sarner) Martellotti, Falls Church, VA
David was the Rabbi for our wedding recently and we could not have had a better experience. We loved the service, there was great communication and respect for our wishes, and a wonderful sense of connection that we valued dearly.
— Steve Everitt and Gabby Reamer, Baltimore, MD
Dear Rabbi Greenspoon,
I want to thank you for the beautiful job you did working with Stephanie, Dan, and our extended families. Their wedding ceremony was a wonderful mixture of genuine warmth, connection, celebration, and poignancy. The time you spent with us far exceeded anything we expected from a rabbi we had just recently met. Your compassionate listening, informed guidance, and flexible approach helped craft a beautiful wedding. Everyone there expressed how authentic to Stephani and Dan it was, and how respectful to the wide range of religious identities reflected in our families. I am delighted to add you to our clergy providers here at Wedding411On Demand, and happy to refer you to wedding parties who might be interested in your services.
With my family’s deepest appreciation for a wonderful wedding.
— Jay Buck, Father of Stephanie the Bride, Founder, Wedding 411 On Demand, MD
Rabbi Greenspoon did a wonderful job officiating our wedding! He took the time to truly learn about our relationship and guide us through every element of the Jewish ceremony. He was extremely helpful crafting an interfaith service that felt authentic to us and we couldn’t be happier.
— Erica Aronson and Taylor Stout, Northern Virginia
Rabbi Greenspoon was fabulous to work with! We needed a rabbi willing/able to perform a secular, interfaith ceremony, and he knocked it out of the park. He never once questioned my Jewish identity despite me being non-practicing (I’d felt some imposter syndrome when looking at other rabbi profiles), nor did he make my non-Jewish partner feel out of place. We threw a few curveballs his way in our planning conversations, and he handled it all with grace. We got numerous compliments from attendees on both the ceremony and our choice in officiant.
— Rachel Spiegelman (and David Bouchat), Germantown, MD
David and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being our rabbi and officiating at our wedding. We feel you went above and beyond our expectations with your knowledge and suggestions to make our wedding ceremony as personalized as we wanted it. On top of that your own personal touches made our ceremony perfect.
— Leah and David Ipson, Richmond, VA
I highly recommend Jewtique! Rabbi Greenspoon was by our side during the whole process. He helped us take a unique spin on a traditional Jewish ceremony and make it feel just right for us. We had a wonderful time communicating with Rabbi Greenspoon through multiple zoom sessions where he took us through each step and explained our options along the way. The big day could not have gone any better and absolutely loved the ceremony! It was beautiful, thoughtful and perfect.
— Rachel Katz and Ryan Sarbacher, San Diego, CA
We would choose Rabbi Greenspoon to marry us again, we truly believe no one could have performed a better ceremony. The Rabbi gave us tools during our premarital counseling that have both enhanced our ceremony, and our Judaism moving forward as a couple. They are tools we continue to use and have become a part of our daily lives. We greatly appreciate the emphasis on growth in our faith in order to enhance our marriage. When we walk into our home the first thing we see is our Ketubah with the Rabbi’s signature, it is a reminder of how he continues to be a part of our lives regardless of where we may call home.
— Daniel and Charlie Lippe, Oahu, HI
Rabbi David Greenspoon was absolutely amazing to work with while planning our interfaith wedding. We met with him several times throughout the planning process, and he was phenomenal at setting up the logistics of the ceremony while teaching my non-Jewish husband about the details of a Jewish wedding ceremony. He also ensured that the ceremony was conscious and inclusive of my husband’s Christian family. On the wedding day, Rabbi David’s remarks were personal and thoughtful, and showed he truly listened and got to know us during our meetings together. Rabbi David made the ceremony seamless and we would be happy to work with him again in the future!
— Allison Belkowitz and Chris Baines, Charlottesville, VA
Coming of Age
Rabbi Greenspoon is incredibly easy to work with while your child prepares for his/her B’nai Mitzvah. He understands that not all children learn or understand things in the same way. My daughter had multiple challenges in accessing the material. He ensured that she had a translation of her Torah portion that was interesting and understandable. As they worked through the portion he understood that writing a typical drash was not her strength and encouraged her to put her artistic and design sense to work, creating a beautiful poster. He ensured she did her best and allowed her parents to just be the parents both before her big day and during the day itself.
— Elyann Katz, Sterling, VA
David is the consummate professional! What an incredible experience we had crafting a unique and personal bat mitzvah for our daughter over these last 6-9 months. We do not belong to a synagogue but wanted to celebrate our Jewish heritage and craft a bat mitzvah that was unique to our daughter’s personality and interests. David helped guide us not only through the appropriate spiritual and religious content but also the social aspects of the ceremony. He was able to coach us on everything from the philosophical foundation of her Torah portion all the way to the types of microphones we would need for the ceremony, and helped us make meaningful decisions along the way. Liturgy to logistics – he did it all. Thank you, David – you made this day extraordinarily special, and an extra kudos for making the ceremony accessible and enjoyable to all of our non-Jewish friends!
— Michael and Jen Wagner, Raleigh NC
Rabbi Greenspoon made our son’s Bar Mitzvah a meaningful and transformative experience, not only for our son, but for our entire family as well. Through his kind, individualized, and supportive approach, Rabbi Greenspoon helped Eric write an insightful D’var Torah. He also ensured that Eric was confidently able to read his Torah portions and lead most of the service that Shabbat morning. With Rabbi Greenspoon’s guidance, Eric also drafted a personal prayer to read that day. The prayer was a beautiful reflection of the events and people in Eric’s life which had brought him to that special day, but just as importantly, through his personal prayer, Eric was able to share his hopes and goals for his future with everyone in attendance.
Rabbi Greenspoon didn’t treat Eric’s Bar Mitzvah as if it was the culmination of his Jewish education. Through his mentorship, ongoing communication, and friendship, Rabbi Greenspoon was able to truly connect with my son. Because he took the time to genuinely get to know Eric, Rabbi Greenspoon was successfully able to encourage him to find new opportunities to engage with our community as a Jewish adult.
— Jill Weiss and Robert Schreiber, Leesburg, VA
Shout out to the amazing Rabbi David Greenspoon! He made the whole bar mitzvah process easy, and more importantly, meaningful for our son. Our son went into the bar mitzvah process skeptical and reserved, but finished the day proud of all his hard work and “performance on game day.” Rabbi Greenspoon really helped us tailor the service to our needs and desires. There were truly no rules. The service was absolutely perfect for our family, friends, and congregation. If you are looking for a Rabbi who will listen to you, guide you, and help create a meaningful life event, I highly recommend him!
— Stephanie Cohn, Sykesville, MD
Our family has been extremely lucky to have Rabbi Greenspoon in our lives. He not only guided our two oldest children through the required Bar Mitzvah elements (including liturgy, customs, mitzvot projects), but also was able to meet each of our children where they were as individuals in supporting the development of personal prayers and Torah interpretation. Beyond this important rabbinical support, Rabbi Greenspoon went further with each of our boys, mentoring them through various religious badges they obtained in Scouting efforts.
He has a wonderful way of engaging our children and the rest of our family with a combination of humor, sensitivity and religious gravity. We look forward to having Rabbi Greenspoon work with our third child as she progresses through and obtains her Bat Mitzvah. It is due to both his character as a human being and his effectiveness as a spiritual leader, that we provide this unequivocal recommendation for his Rabbinic services.
— Matt & Terri Foosaner, Middleburg, VA
Welcoming your new child
Rabbi Greenspoon and Jewtique Concierge Rabbinic Services were paramount for our unique, Jewish and interfaith ceremony.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions and after giving birth, it was highly recommended to us by our physician that we quarantine for at least two weeks (since we had been in the hospital for several days during labor). Due to the quarantine and COVID-19 in general, we elected to have the circumcision performed in the hospital. However, we still wished to have some sort of naming ceremony to welcome our son into the Jewish community. To facilitate this, we reached out to Rabbi Greenspoon who we worked together to formulate a solution. We concluded that we would have the circumcision at the hospital (before 8 days) and that we would recreate some aspects of a bris and/or a naming after our quarantine concluded.
With this plan in motion and Rabbi Greenspoon’s unwavering support and expertise, we created a beautiful event that included our whole immediate family (including parts of our family that were interfaith) as integral portions of the ceremony.
Writing this now a few days after the event, I could not imagine a better person to assist us with this journey and we will be sure to use him in the future.
— Rachel and Connor Nelson, Ashburn, VA
My husband and I felt so fortunate to have Rabbi Greenspoon officiate the Hebrew baby naming of our daughter, Orli. Newcomers to a neighborhood without as robust of a Jewish community as we were used to from our hometown, we were not formally affiliated with a synagogue at the time. It was so important for us to mark the occasion with a traditional Jewish ceremony, and Rabbi Greenspoon facilitated such a beautiful afternoon for us. With an intimate, eclectic group of family and friends, Rabbi Greenspoon led a highly personalized ceremony that was meaningful, engaging, and accessible for us and our small group of guests. We were so grateful for his warm, light-hearted guidance as we selected music and elements to include that were symbolic for our family, and he led us every step of the way through the enjoyable, stress-free process.
— Rebecca Swislow, Chicago, IL
We were so delighted to have Rabbi Greenspoon officiate our daughter’s baby naming ceremony. From walking us through name selection, to planning the ceremony, he was so easy to work with, always offering meaningful and thoughtful suggestions. We loved how he made sure to include the big brother and the grandparents and worked hard to ensure that the day was special for everyone.
— Stephanie Cohn, Eldersburg, MD
Rabbi David Greenspoon has been a superb rabbi for me, my wife, and now our three children. As an interfaith military family, we’ve moved from place to place. Rabbi Greenspoon has been extremely sensitive to our needs and a source of strength and comfort. He supported us when the roof of our apartment collapsed; he engages my entire family in our Jewish growth. Rabbi Greenspoon has been amazing. Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic he got me in touch with a mohel to perform my son’s bris. Rabbi Greenspoon then handled the logistics of the brit milah ceremony service where the mohel, my wife and child, he and myself could be there physically. He also made sure that we were able to include our extended family and friends virtually via Zoom and handled the technical support needs as well. I am forever indebted to him for his care and support.
— IS1 Kareem Shaw, USNR, Herndon, VA
From the moment we met Rabbi Greenspoon there was a warmth and familiarity that made him feel like family. To that end, Rabbi Greenspoon helped our family celebrate the bris of our first-born son and subsequently our daughter’s baby naming. At both momentous life events Rabbi Greenspoon helped make the ceremonies personal and meaningful to us as new parents and a growing Jewish family. Before both events the Rabbi took the time and care to not only explain the rituals but also allowed us the space to personalize the experiences based on our preferences. We will never forget these important milestones which were made even more special by Rabbi Greenspoon’s guidance, kindness, and grace.
— Ethan and Meghan Zimman, Sterling, VA
Open Torah
David is a hands-on Rabbi and Educator who works well with all age groups. He is particularly sensitive to the needs and concerns of children and young people and finds creative ways to engage them… and as a teacher, he attracts students at every level. David brings all of the qualities of Jewish leadership to his position: intellect, spirit, and good deeds.
— Bonnie Lipton, Past National President of Hadassah, Chicago, IL
Thank you so much for coming to speak to my World Religion students today. Your presentation was extraordinary. The students were genuinely riveted by the information, history, anecdotes and artifacts you shared with them. You truly have a gift. You’re a natural teacher and storyteller and you brought history into relief and made it relevant and fascinating. Moreover, your balanced approach to complex issues was much appreciated.
I hope that you might, in the future, be willing to return to speak to future groups of students. I’ll be in touch with such future requests and hope that others can be as lucky as we were today.
— Veera Walker, Dual Enrollment Government Teacher, AP Human Geography Teacher, Social Science & Global Studies Department, Broad Run High School, Ashburn, VA
Rabbi Greenspoon came to Ring House to teach a series of classes with our senior residents, exploring the history and art of the Haggadah for Passover. Residents each week came and the crowd just kept on getting bigger. He is an amazing teacher; the sessions were perfect for their content and presentation. Plus, he is a real professional, always on time and always prepared for each session of our Visiting Jewish Scholar Series. We already have invited him to come back and do another series of classes! Thank you for teaching our Ring House Residents, Rabbi Greenspoon!
— Vica Kleiner, Activities Coordinator, Ring House, Charles E. Smith Life Communities, Rockville, MD
David is a wonderful teacher. He is an intelligent and creative planner, an idea person, who follows through to insure the success of his inspirations. He is warm and accessible and cares about people. In sum, David is a person you want to have on your side.
— Judy Meltzer, Past Director of Adult Learning at Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Baltimore, MD
It was a privilege to host Rabbi David as a part of an interfaith conversation during Sunday worship services. He was warm, knowledgeable, and a joy to be with. We look forward to hosting him again in the future!
— The Reverend Sarah Johnson, Senior Pastor, The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C.
I am writing to thank you for your support during a difficult time in my life. Losing my former husband and father of my boys during the COVID pandemic was emotionally taxing. Without hesitation you arrived at my doorstep with a mask and a siddur to guide family and friends through a socially-distanced shivah service. The healing began with your reciting the words “yitgadal v’yitkadash”. My home at once became a sukkot shalom, a refuge and shelter of peace.
I am grateful for your guidance, your presence and your leadership.
— Carolyn Horowitz Amacher, Herndon, VA
David is able to provide comfort and healing to those in need.
— Rabbi Yaacov Rone, Past Chairman, Certification Commission, National Association of Jewish Chaplains
Of the dozen rabbis I have interacted with in my life, Rabbi Greenspoon has been the most responsive. When my teenage child was dealing with a sudden series of unexpected deaths, Rabbi Greenspoon promptly provided wonderful, candid, humane support. His extensive experience enabled him to provide my child with appropriate wisdom, advice, and support. It was good for my child to hear again some self-care strategies and supportive acknowledgement. My child truly appreciated the conversation. It is clear that Rabbi Greenspoon takes serious situations seriously, and takes action with effective wisdom. He knows how to handle situations, he knows when to provide prayer or comforting words, and he knows when to appropriately, simply insert fun humor. Literally, you can tell him anything and seek support. Above all, he completely maintains privacy and confidentiality. He is an extremely trustworthy man and rabbi.
— R. L., Northern Virginia
Rabbi Greenspoon is dedicated to Judaism, thoughtful and a very understanding individual. He guided my fiance and I in pre-marital counseling. I value him and everything he stands for because he is an honest person and hardworking. Please consider him for services. It is rare to find someone like him. I wish more people knew about him because he has great compassion …and has been an excellent guide for my family.
— Jacob Singer, Rockville, MD
I first met David in a hospital where I was a patient. He was a great support and helpful in my recovery. I am grateful for his help and he drew me into Jewish life in a stimulating and meaningful way. A superior human being and a wonderful rabbi.
— Paul Graubard, artist, Lenox, MA
My father passed in April 2020 and we were finally able to have a memorial service for him in August 2021. A colleague of mine recommended Rabbi Greenspoon who did an excellent job learning about my dad and our relationships with him.
Rabbi Greenspoon was very patient with our family over multiple zoom calls to talk through the process.
When it came time to work with the funeral home, Masons and the Navy, Rabbi Greenspoon took control and was integral in ensuring that everybody knew their roles, etc.
Unfortunately, my Aunt Lesley recently passed and we retained Rabbi Greenspoon’s services again for her service today. Just like with my father, he was very patient with everybody through multiple zoom sessions and presided over my aunt’s service in a beautiful manner.
While we’ve only retained his services for funerals, we do look forward to the day when we’ll meet for much happier occasions
— Larry Selleh, Bowie, MD
Last year we lost Mom a week before the pandemic shut everything down. We wanted to do a celebration of life for her but kept pushing back dates in order to comply with COVID restrictions, and be safe. When we were coming close to a full year, I knew we had to do something and possibly different than the normal.
I was lucky to have met David through a business client. I reached out to him and immediately felt a sense of calmness. He had many ideas and we worked seamlessly together to create an online memorial for Mom. He was always quick to respond to texts, calls and emails and without him I would have been lost. I would recommend him over and over again to people looking for the same.
— Dana Ford, Margate NJ
I have been meaning to email you all week, but the days have escaped me. I wanted to thank you again for performing Jules’ unveiling. It meant a lot to me that you were able to perform the ceremony. Everyone enjoyed your “Did everyone eat breakfast this morning?” since we all know that Jules’s most important meal was breakfast. Please remember to keep me informed about the High Holiday Services. Thank you again.
— Margy M., Owings Mills, MD
We utilized the concierge services of Rabbi David Greenspoon recently when a family member who was unaffiliated passed away. He handled the situation with such delicacy that you would have thought that he had been the family rabbi for years. He got to know the family in a short period of time and worked with us in order to make sure that the services were catered appropriately to the survivors. We really appreciated the care and personal connection that were made in our time of need.
— Meredith Jesperson, Jacksonville, FL
Thank you for the beautiful service and for your kind support throughout this difficult period. My family and I are doing well, given the circumstances. Now is a time of recovery and we are receiving a lot of support and love from our friends and relatives. May I please ask you send me the final version of the eulogy, as several of the attendees have asked to have a copy. I too would like to save it as a memory.
— Aleksey K., Laurel, MD
I wanted you to know that I had a tree planted in Israel in your name to express our gratitude for the thoughtful officiating at Randy’s memorial service. I continue to get feedback from so many saying that it was the most meaningful service that they have ever attended.
— Mary F., Essex, MD
Rabbi Greenspoon is my rabbi of choice for good reason. He was attentive to my needs when hospitalized over a High Holy Days with a serious illness; his pastoral counseling has helped me with difficult life dynamics; he’s been present for my fairly non-religious family in times of celebration and loss that has been inclusive and embracing. It might sound cliché to say he’s a gentleman and a scholar on top of it all, but it couldn’t be truer. If you’re looking for a rabbi, look no further.
— Al Mendelsohn, Reisterstown, MD
David is everything that you would want in a teacher, Rabbi or friend. Smart, funny and self-deprecating he gets his message across in an understandable way. He really gets it!
— Lou Weiss, Pittsburgh, PA
As a recent retiree, one of my goals was to reestablish my connections to my Jewish faith. Attending your weekly Torah and Prophets classes has not only been a great joy to me, but also provided me with a renewed spiritual connection. You are truly a great teacher and scholar and you fill every one of your classes with numerous unique insights into the literal and symbolic meanings behind ancient Hebrew texts. Your love of teaching and learning comes through every class and is infectious to all participants. I thank you very much for adding to my Jewish life over the past year and for inspiring me to study Torah once again.
— Art Flaks, Leesburg, VA
David brings warmth, humor and an unusual level of erudition. And heart. A lot of heart. He is extraordinarily well educated in all the expected Judaic disciplines, but also brings an eclectic, renaissance level of understanding to any encounter. His sensitivity and wisdom, compassion and empathy flow naturally. He is a friend and spiritual advisor.
— Jonathan Kramer, M.D. Pittsfield, MA
David has impressive interpersonal skills one-on-one, and in his counseling style. In addition, David possesses a superior intellect of the highest quality, both Judaically and of knowledge in general. He is a strong speaker, often very funny, and always enlightening. His mastery of factual data to support his teaching, speaking, or writing, is top notch. On a personal level, David is an accessible, fun-loving (especially music!), and expressive person.
— Robin Fleet and Philip Coleman, Lenox, MA
Rabbi David Greenspoon came into my life at a terrible time. The unexpected death of a close family member during the Covid Pandemic caused us to need rabbinical assistance. Another family member had used Rabbi Greenspoon’s services before and suggested that we use him for our Zoom Shiva services. Instead of feeling as though we were separated from our family who lived all across the country, Rabbi Greenspoon’s empathy and understanding brought us all together in a kind and loving way. Not only did he make us feel as though we were the number one most important thing in his life that evening, when we requested additional time on additional evenings he agreed to do so without any qualms at all. Rabbi Greenspoon supplied us with both the religious comfort as well as the personal comfort that we truly needed. I would not hesitate to call on him again for any rabbinical service in the future.
— Pam Picray, Jacksonville, FL
David is a man of integrity and vision.
— Simcha Raphael, Philadelphia, PA Founder at DA’AT INSTITUTE – Death Awareness, Advocacy & Training
My sister unexpectedly passed away in January. No arrangements, no synagogue affiliation, and yes, let us not forgot Covid. We reached out to Rabbi Greenspoon who stopped EVERYTHING he was doing to assist us in the planning of her services, answering questions about the arrangements, and providing counseling when we needed it most.
While I have considered Rabbi Greenspoon my rabbi for many years, this was the first introduction to the rest of the family. By the time we had the services (one for family and then one for friends), my family felt as if Rabbi Greenspoon had been their rabbi for years also.
Rabbi Greenspoon has counseled me many times over the past years: during sickness, loss of family members and just times that I have needed to talk to someone. I have always felt that Rabbi Greenspoon would make himself available for me anytime and anyplace. I have never felt that connection with any other Rabbi.
— Jackie Hochstadt, Jacksonville, FL
I had the pleasure of working with Rabbi Greenspoon while I was employed as a Licensed Funeral Director at Sol Levinson & Bros. Rabbi Greenspoon’s compassion and dedication helped many grieving families. He always managed to truly connect with the families, offering them support and guidance at a very dark time. Rabbi Greenspoon really took time to get to know a family, endearing himself to those he served. I always knew that calling on Rabbi Greenspoon to officiate for a funeral meant the family would be taken care of, loved, and most importantly supported in the days and weeks following a funeral. It was an honor to work with him
— Patrik Fleming, Baltimore, MD
Rabbi Greenspoon stepped into our lives after the passing of our father. He was kind, compassionate and extremely supportive. He took time out to get to know me and my sister, along with our late father. He offered words of understanding and sympathy, as well as practical tools and pieces of advice for coping with our grief. During an extremely difficult time, Rabbi Greenspoon was an invaluable source of guidance.
— Erica Goldman, Washington, DC
Rabbi David Greenspoon was asked to arrange for the conversion to Judaism of our 3-year-old grandson. His understanding and compassion for the child, the child’s parents and extended family made this process a joyous occasion. Rabbi Greenspoon took charge of all the arrangements for a mikvah and a beit-din. He patiently and thoroughly explained conversion with sensitivity for all involved. We thank him for both his warm-hearted spirit and professionalism.
— Albert Belsky, Potomac, MD
David Greenspoon was my Rabbi during my conversion and at a very difficult time in our life – through the loss of our sister. David was extremely supportive and always there with the right message and words of support. He took his work seriously and was patient with me during my conversion experience. He was also joyous and fun and conveyed this in his work as a Rabbi. He brought a much-needed energy, love and understanding to the position that was infectious. He was a wonderful Rabbi to our family and I would highly recommend him.
— Kara Thornton, Dalton, MA
Five stars is just not enough for Rabbi Greenspoon. I have spent the last few years working with Rabbi Greenspoon on my Conversion to Judaism. When I first met him, I knew that he was knowledgeable, but I had no idea how truly wonderful of a human being he is.
With Rabbi Greenspoon you won’t just get the facts and everyday prayers, you will get his heart and soul. His compassion for all is what really sets him apart from everyone else.
— Wendy Sutton, Round Hill, VA
Rabbi Greenspoon has been an extraordinary guide through the process of my conversion. It has been a privilege to work with him, over the course of several years and during a difficult period of transformation in my life, on my Jewish studies and spiritual development. In addition to regular Torah study, I’ve taken several adult ed courses he’s taught, ranging from general introduction (still quite detailed, enough to teach you how much more there is to learn, and make you want to learn it) to a variety of more specific and in-depth subjects. His recommendations for reading have always been great, and he was always available to answer questions or address my worries. He has been accommodating and supportive regarding my anxiety and my learning disabilities at every turn. As a queer trans person, I have always felt accepted and affirmed. His commitment to LGBT inclusion is clear. He organized a trans affirming Beit Din for me (during the pandemic!), which was socially distanced, and warm and welcoming. Rabbi Greenspoon always brings real joy to ritual, and as a teacher he brings a well of knowledge both deep and wide. He has an obvious passion for life-long learning, and is always open to weird questions. I’m grateful to continue studying Torah with him, and I’m always inspired by his unique insights. Everything I learn makes me want to learn more! I could not have asked for a better mentor in building the foundation for my Jewish life.
— Ian Boniface, Purcillville, VA
Since he was my father’s rabbi decades ago, Rabbi Greenspoon has been my guide to understanding and embracing myself within Judaism. Raised by a Catholic mom, upon entering college I took up Jewish Studies and have coined the term “Cashew” or Cat-Jew to define myself. Greenspoon always spoke to me as a friend and someone who can deeply relate to the meaningful or meaningless experiences in life while relating them to Jewish teachings. His personal approach is humbling and continuously enlightening. That relationship as well as my own inner calling inspired my Mikvah devotion. It was a soulful full circle moment to have him affirm what has always been there inside me. He is an outstanding, extraordinary person who possess the patience and wisdom to truly listen and get to the core of how to cope. Whether it through prayer, meditation or daily practices his approach is not rigid, it’s self nurturing and self affirming.
— Sarah Lolley, York, PA
I want to thank you for all your guidance and spiritual support while I was “Joining the Tribe”. Going into it I didn’t know what to expect. I thought maybe it was going to be study a lot then I would pass or fail. you made me see that it was more of a spiritual journey that spilled into everyday life. Between your guidance and my self-study, the class and the class field trip, I have a deeper, more meaningful understanding of Judaism. My love of Judaism was stronger in the end. Thank you for all that you have done.
— Leah Ipson, Richmond, VA