Rabbi Merle Singer

During his years at Temple Beth El, Rabbi Singer has repeatedly introduced a variety of innovative spiritual programs. For example, he has spearheaded progressive ecumenical relationships with several different houses of worship, including St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic and First Presbyterian Churches of Boca Raton. Programs that evolved from these relationships, such as Shared Care (a weekly program that offers companionship for impaired senior adults and respite for their care givers) and Interfaith Weekends, have attracted national attention. Rabbi Singer has long been an advocate for children's rights on a local and national level.

In addition, he continually nurtures outreach programs that open Temple Beth El doors to the community, such as the popular Kobacker Institute and numerous food drives throughout the year to replenish the Daily Bread Food Bank's coffers. Rabbi Singer was instrumental in founding the Palm Beach Daily Bread Food Bank. He is always available and willing to lend his name to various community and national organizations in order to raise funds for events and causes. The Florence Fuller Child Development Center, Mae Volen Center and the Wayne Barton Study Center are few of these organizations.

Rabbi Singer has received two honorary degrees in honor of his work: a Doctor of Humane Letters from Gwynedd-Mercy College in Springhouse, Pennsylvania, and a Doctor of Divinity from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rabbi Singer was a major force in establishing a Holocaust Chair and Judaic Studies Program at Florida Atlantic University. He was awarded the President's Medallion for Distinguished Service from Florida Atlantic University and the B'nai Avraham Award for community involvement and interfaith activities from the American Jewish Committee. Rabbi Singer is a recipient of the Silver Medallion Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, in recognition of his involvement and dedication to ecumenical causes. In 1998, he was presented with the Palm Beach County Leading Man Award by Bloomingdales and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In May of 1999, Rabbi Singer was elected to Boca Raton's "Walk of Recognition".

On the local level, Rabbi Singer is a past president of the United Way of South Palm Beach and the Religious Leaders of Boca Raton. He is Past President of the South Palm Beach County Board of Rabbis. He also is on the board of the Florence Fuller Child Development Center and a past Board member of Hospice by the Sea. He served on the Ethics Committee at Boca Raton Community Hospital. In addition, Rabbi Singer has served in various capacities with Planned Parenthood, the Mae Volen Center, the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, and the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. Rabbi Singer has twice received the Key to the City of Boca Raton in recognition of his many contributions to the community.

Nationally, he is a member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Central Conference of American Rabbis and has served on their Executive Board, the Association of Reform Zionists of America, was President of the Southeast Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Israel Bonds National Rabbinic Cabinet, and was on the National Board of Governors of the Synagogue Council of America.

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