Rabbi Bruce D. Aft served as the spiritual leader of Adat Reyim in Springfield, VA from 1991 to 2020. A native of the Chicago suburbs, he developed an early love for both Judaism and the Chicago White Sox. He played on the University of Illinois varsity reserve baseball team for several years before turning his focus to the rabbinate and social work. He holds an MSW from Temple University, received rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and was later awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.
In addition to teaching at Kol Ami, Rabbi Aft is a visiting scholar at George Mason University’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. He is also an adjunct professor in both the Department of Religious Studies and the Honors College at GMU. He works closely with Jewish students on campus and regularly lectures for GMU’s Learning and Retirement Institute.
Rabbi Aft has held leadership roles including past president of the community board for Operation Understanding DC and the Hillel Community Board at GMU. He also serves as a visiting lecturer at Greenspring Village and as a chaplain with the Jewish Social Service Agency.
He continues to support small congregations in the South through the Institute for Southern Jewish Life and shares reflections on his blog: https://rabbibruceaft.blogspot.com.
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