MADISON – Temple Beth El in Madison installed Rabbi Jonathan (Jon) Prosnit as senior rabbi on Friday, December 13, during Shabbat services.
Special guests — including Rabbi Prosnit’s former clergy colleagues as well as his father, Rabbi James Prosnit, and brother, Rabbi Ethan Prosnit — participated in the installation ceremony, along with the synagogue’s cantor, Jacob Niemi, and many congregants of all ages. The congregation continued the celebration with events throughout the weekend, including a family community service project crafting Chanukah care packages for seniors in Madison-area assisted living facilities, a special Torah study session, and several shared meals prepared by Temple Beth El congregants and staff.
“We are delighted to officially mark the installation of Rabbi Prosnit with a weekend celebration
bringing together many generations of Temple Beth El members,” said Stefanie Kushner,
executive director, Temple Beth El. “It is an official marker of this new chapter of our Temple’s
history and an important moment of acknowledgment and fellowship.”
Rabbi Prosnit is Temple Beth El’s fifth senior rabbi in its 85-year history and began his role as spiritual leader on July 1, 2024. He succeeded Rabbi Jonathan Biatch, who has assumed the role of rabbi emeritus.
“In six short months, my family and I have experienced the warmth and inclusivity of the Temple Beth El community, and Madison more broadly,” Prosnit said. “I am so grateful for the care and effort that went into crafting the weekend’s events. Our family and guests were moved by the kindness and warmth of everyone at Temple Beth El. I feel so blessed to be part of this community and look forward to growing together in the years ahead.”
Before joining Temple Beth El, Rabbi Prosnit was part of the rabbinical team at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California, for 12 years. Originally from New York, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and was ordained by the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. As a rabbinical student, he worked in cities spanning from East Liverpool, Ohio, to Melbourne, Australia, and worked at Reform congregations such as The Village Temple in Manhattan and Temple Micah in Washington, D.C.
Rabbi Prosnit is married to Erin Gleeson, who is an artist and author of the Forest Feast cookbook series (theforestfeast.com). They have two sons and a daughter.
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About Temple Beth El
Temple Beth El, the largest synagogue in Madison, is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Founded in 1939, Temple Beth El serves about 600 member households.
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