Teacher and Lover of Talmud Stories, Podcast Devourer, Electric Guitarist
Rabbi Nick Renner is the Associate Rabbi and Director of Lifelong Learning at Congregation Beth Shalom. Rabbi Renner received his MA and the title of Rabbi from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2014. A native of Chapel Hill, NC, Rabbi Renner earned his BA in International Comparative Studies (ICS) from Duke University. He won the ICS Distinguished Thesis Award upon graduation for his thesis on the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza.
Prior to joining CBS, Rabbi Nick Renner was the Senior Jewish Educator at Hillel at the University of Delaware (UD). He worked with undergraduate students, the religious life programming board, and Hillel’s engagement internship. He also taught academic courses in UD’s Jewish Studies program. Previously, Rabbi Renner served as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Kehillat Israel (KI) in Pacific Palisades, CA. At KI, Rabbi Renner worked with the Israel Matters Committee and taught sessions on contemporary Israel. Rabbi Renner led Confirmation and he started KI’s Teen Talmud group. He taught the Saturday Torah Class as well as Tales of the Talmud for adults. He served life cycle ceremonies including funerals, weddings, b’nei mitzvah, and baby namings/brit milah.
Over twenty years, Rabbi Renner has played guitar and bass in a range of musical groups, in styles including rock, funk, blues, hip hop, jazz, and folk. He has played live and in studios in North Carolina, the Israeli city of Netanya, Philadelphia, West LA, and Wilmington.
Rabbi Renner lives in North Wilmington with his wife Kimmy, their son Isaac, and their rescued racing greyhound Dahlia.