OUR COMMUNITY

A

fter two years serving Adat 
Shalom Synagogue in Farmington 
Hills, Rabbi Dan Horwitz will be 
departing the congregation to assume the 
role of chief executive officer of the Jewish 
Federation of Greater Nashville and of its 
accompanying Foundation 
starting Aug. 1.
Before joining Adat Shalom, 
“Rabbi Dan” served as the 
CEO of the Alper JCC in 
Miami and was the founding 
director of The Well. Due 
to his work with The Well, 
Horwitz was selected by The 
Forward as one of the most inspiring rabbis 
in North America. 
Before founding The Well, Horwitz 
served in several professional roles, includ-
ing as the rabbi and director of immersive 
learning for Moishe House, heading the 
Jewish education department, and as a rabbi 
at Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy. 
Horwitz says the past two years have been 
special, as Adat Shalom is an incredibly spe-
cial place. 
“The people who comprise the congre-
gation are wonderful,
” Horwitz said. “
And 
the clergy team I had the privilege of being 
a part of with Rabbi Bergman, Hazzan 
Gross, Rabbi Nosanwisch and also with the 
executive director, Michael Wolf, there’s no 
question it was a dream team.
”
Horwitz grew up in the Metro Detroit 
Jewish community so many Adat Shalom 
congregants have known him since he was a 
little kid. Horwitz says it was special to not 
only rekindle those relationships, but also to 
build deep, meaningful relationships with so 
many other folks in the congregation. 
“Having the opportunity to build upon 
the established foundation there and to pilot 
new things, do lots of out-of-the-box young 
family-type things, it was great,
” Horwitz 

said. “I love the spirit there, which is basi-
cally if you want to try something, let’s try 
something. It’s one of the things that most 
attracted me to jump at the opportunity in 
the first place.
” 
There are no immediate plans to hire 
another rabbi, per a synagogue statement. 
“Our Adat Shalom family is grateful for 
all the wonderful things that Rabbi Horwitz 
has contributed to our synagogue these 
past two years and is glad he is continuing 
to work on behalf of the Jewish people,
” 
said synagogue president Joyce Berlin 
Weingarten.
Now transitioning into this new role 

and moving to Nashville, Horwitz says it’s 
not something he was actively looking for 
or seeking, per se. 
But Nashville, at the moment, is a city 
that’s booming in many ways, including as 
a destination for people who are building 
their lives. It’s a young, growing, intrigu-
ing community — not to mention cultur-
ally very interesting — and as Nashville 
has grown, so has the Jewish community 
there.
There was interest in finding some-
one who would be able to, among many 
things, help weave in all of the transplants 
who have moved to Nashville in recent 
years. Horwitz is up to the task. 
“Finding ways to connect with folks, 
weave them into community, help them 

find their people to do Jewish and life with 
and to inspire them to then invest in the 
community they’re benefiting from is kind 
of what I do best,
” Horwitz said. “It’ll put 
me in a position hopefully to continue to do 
really good things for the Jewish people, in 
Nashville and Israel and around the world, 
to grow my own skill sets and to grow with 
a growing community.
” 
The move is understandably bittersweet 
for Horwitz, his wife, Miriam, and their 
three kids, having so many folks here who 
they love and care about. At the same time, 
the opportunity to dive in and help shape, 
build and cultivate community in an emerg-

ing market is a fantastic opportunity. 
“Everything that I am, and everything 
that I do in the world, has been shaped 
courtesy of being a product of this com-
munity. My successes anywhere are Metro 
Detroit Jewish community successes,
” 
Horwitz said. “I’m eternally grateful for the 
way I’ve been supported by this community, 
and I hope to make everybody here proud.
” 
In addition to his exciting new job, 
Horwitz has written a book sharing the 
lessons learned from building The Well. 
The book, due out next month, is called 
Just Jewish: How to Engage Millennials and 
Build a Vibrant Jewish Future. Pre-order 
now at www.benyehudapress.com/books/
just-jewish. 

Rabbi Dan Horwitz says goodbye to Adat Shalom.
Nashville-Bound

“EVERYTHING I AM, AND EVERYTHING I DO IN 
THE WORLD, HAS BEEN SHAPED COURTESY OF 

BEING A PRODUCT OF THIS COMMUNITY.”

— RABBI DAN HORWITZ

Rabbi Dan 
Horwitz

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

28 | JULY 27 • 2023 

