Rabbi Tom Gardner

Rabbi Thomas Gardner

Tom Gardner was born and raised in New York City. He attended public schools up until college. Tom received a BA from Oberlin College, with a major in East Asian Studies. After working in Japan for the Japanese Ministry of Education, he returned to work in New York. A few years later, he matriculated at the University of Michigan, where he received an MA in Japanese Studies.

After another year of advanced study in Japan, Tom returned to New York, where he worked at the Consulate General of Japan, and rejoined his childhood synagogue, Rodeph Sholom. At Rodeph Sholom Tom was on the board of the Young Professionals Group, the nominating committee, the Israel committee, and a volunteer at the homeless shelter. In 2003 he left his position at the Japanese Consulate to attend HUC-JIR.

From 2005 to 2008 he was the rabbinic intern at the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, where he led services, taught religious school and adult ed., and met regularly both with the elderly community and the youth group.

On May 4th, 2008 Tom was ordained a Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in New York City. He was then appointed Rabbi of Beth Shalom Synagogue of Baton Rouge, LA..

Please come and join Rabbi Gardner and our Beth Shalom Family for Shabbat Services. Click here to view our calendar.