Rabbi Bradley Solmsen is a senior Jewish educational leader with significant experience engaging youth and the staff who work with our young people as well as creating innovative programming. Before joining Park Avenue Synagogue as director of congregational education, Rabbi Solmsen was the executive director of Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, N.Y. Surprise Lake, one of the longest-running Jewish residential camps, is known for its breathtaking grounds as well as its strong sense of community and inclusiveness.
Before that, Rabbi Solmsen was the director of youth engagement for the Union for Reform Judaism. He spent 11 years at Brandeis University as director of the Office of High School Programs and was on the faculty of the Hornstein Program and on the staff of the Institute for Informal Jewish Education. He was ordained at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and earned a master’s degree in Jewish education from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
He has held fellowships at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at Brandeis University and is a Schusterman Senior Fellow. He has extensive experience working with youth and training staff and overseeing Jewish educational, camp, travel, and residential programs in Israel and North America.
Rabbi Solmsen is married to Aliza Kline and is the abba of Ela, Gila, and Nomi.