Knox College, Canada

Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey J. Haber is the Director of Spiritual Care at Baycrest Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, one of the world’s leading research hospitals with a focus on the aging brain. Rabbi Haber provides spiritual and religious care, counseling and guidance to patients, residents, families and staff. Prior to Baycrest Rabbi Haber served as chaplain at Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston concurrently with Seasons Hospice. He also served a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy Reserve Chaplain Corps until 2022. For close to 30 years, he served in the congregational rabbinate with distinction in the field of pastoral care, youth and adult education, and religious and spiritual leadership. He was also a regular contributor to Jewish newspapers, as well as the “Homiletics” and “The American Rabbi” journals, and authored five books.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Rabbi Geoffrey J. Haber attended the Joint Program of Columbia University (BA, cum laude) and The Jewish Theological Seminary of America (BA, “with distinction”) in New York, NY. He continued his studies at The Jewish Theological Seminary’s Rabbinical School (Conservative) where he received a Master of Arts degree, was Ordained and, later, received a Doctor of Divinity (Hon.) degree. Rabbi Haber went on to receive his Orthodox Ordination from Rabbi Asher Turin (Yeshiva Ahavas Torah VaChesed) in Toronto, ON. Rabbi Haber earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree in Pastoral Care and Counseling at the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. Rabbi Haber is a Board Certified Chaplain through both Neshama: The Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) and the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC). He is a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Supervisor-Educator (CASC & ACPE) and also a psychotherapist registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).

Rabbi Haber is affiliated with Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC/ACSS), and the Military Chaplains Association-USA (MCA), as well as the Toronto Board of Rabbis. Rabbi Haber is Past Chair of the Ontario Central & Northwest Region of CASC, and Past Chair of the Certification Commission of the NAJC. Rabbi Haber is listed in the Marquis Who’s Who in America (2008) and Who’s Who in the World (2010).

CHAPLAINCY RELATED PUBLICATIONS

• “Rabbinic Reflections,” Baycrest Blog (Monthly contributions), 2014-Current.
• Reconstructing Faith: A Spiritual and Psychological Journey for Parents of Children with Autism, Saarbrücken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing, 2010.
• “Taking Responsibility for our Actions,” The American Rabbi Anthology, 2009.
• “Confronting our Mortality,” The American Rabbi Anthology, 2008.
• “Creating Sanctuary: A Clergy’s Guide” in Walsh, M.B., Walsh, A. & Gaventa, W.C. (Eds.), Autism and Faith: A Journey into Community, NJ: The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University, 2008.
• “The Antidote to Anger,” The American Rabbi, Sukkot to Chanukah, 2006.
• “Confronting Tragedy,” The American Rabbi, High Holy Days, 2006.
• “Heal Us and We Shall be Healed,” NJ Jewish Standard, May, 2003.
• “The Gift of Giving,” NJ Jewish Standard, 72(19), February, 2003.
• “The Cost of Gratefulness,” NJ Jewish Standard, May 2002.
• “Hungry for Spirituality,” The American Rabbi, 33(2), Winter 2001.
• “Everyone Included,” NJ Jewish Standard, February 2001.
• “Prayer for Parents of a Child with Disabilities” in Cardin, N., A Tapestry of Jewish Time, NJ: Behrman, 2000.
• “Leaving the Spiritual Wilderness,” NJ Jewish Standard, July 2000.
• “A Need to be a Need,” NJ Jewish Standard, May 2000.
• “Moving Forward,” NJ Jewish Standard, 68(8), December 1999.
• “Making Ourselves Holy by Recognizing the Holiness in Others,” The American Rabbi, 32(1), Fall 1999.
• “Fighting Fire with Water,” NJ Jewish Standard, 66(8), December 1997.
• “Loving Ourselves Before We Love Others,” Homiletics, Vayikra 5756 (1996).
• “Lead Us Not Into Temptation,” The American Rabbi, 27(6), June 1995.
• “After They Die, They’re Holy,” The American Rabbi, 27(2), October 1994.
• “To Everyone Their Burden,” The American Rabbi, 26(4), February 1994.