Rabbi Yaakov Glasman AM is a well-known figure in the Australian Jewish community. He has a wide range of roles and responsibilities, including being the Rabbi of the St Kilda Shule, President of the Rabbinical Association of Australasia, Co Vice-President of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, and Member of the Human Research Ethics Committee of both the Royal Children’s Hospital and of Deakin University.
As a rabbi, Rabbi Glasman AM is responsible for providing spiritual guidance and pastoral care to his congregation. However, he also has a passion for counseling and helping people in a more personal and therapeutic way. To pursue this interest, he recently completed his Masters in Counseling at Monash University during his leave. He found the experience to be deeply rewarding and believes it has helped him to upskill significantly in the provision of pastoral care to his congregation.
In addition to his work as a counselor and rabbi, Rabbi Glasman is also a leader in the Jewish community. He produced the first-ever set of Rabbinic Guidelines of Interfaith Dialogue in Australia and presented the first copy to the then Victorian Premier Ted Bailleiu. He is committed to promoting interfaith understanding and dialogue, and sees this as an important part of his role as a religious leader.
Despite his busy schedule, Rabbi Glasman also makes time for some lighthearted moments. For example, he recently gave a 5-second sermon to the entire team of the Collingwood Football Club before having a group photo with them all. He is a die-hard Collingwood supporter.
