Rabbi Scott Colbert is trained and experienced as both a cantor and a rabbi, holding degrees from UCLA, NYU, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and the Rabbinical Academy of America.

 

In 1992, Rabbi Colbert was awarded the prestigious title of Reform Jewish Educator by the Reform Movement.  In 2001, he graduated again from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion earning a Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling. Earlier that year, the College-Institute honored him with an honorary doctorate for his outstanding service to the Jewish people. 

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A native of Los Angeles, California, Rabbi Colbert has spent most of his professional career in Atlanta, GA, serving Temple Emanu-El in many capacities for 30 years. Prior to coming to Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi Colbert served congregations in San Antonio and Seattle and was the Head of School at the Valley Jewish Day School in Phoenix, Arizona. 

 

Rabbi Colbert was Executive Vice President of the American Conference of Cantors and was an Ex Officio member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Union for Reform Judaism. He currently holds one of six national seats on the commission that grants the title of Reform Jewish Educator. He is a member of the Executive Committee and Board of the Atlanta Region of the American Jewish Committee and is co-chair of the Jewish-Catholic Dialogue in conjunction with the American Jewish Committee and Archdiocese of Atlanta.

 

Rabbi Colbert has served on numerous community boards throughout his career including: the Advisory Council of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music; the Rabbinical-Cantorial Conciliation Committee; the Joint Cantorial Placement Commission; the URJ Joint Commission on Worship, Music and Religious Living and several other commissions and committees.

 

He has been guest speaker for the National Points of Light Breakfast; the National MLK, Jr. Day observance at Ebenezer Baptist Church; the City of Sandy Springs observance of MLK Day; The Atlanta Celebration of the release of Nelson Mandela at Big Bethel AME Church; and a host of other community observances. In addition, Rabbi Colbert taught Jewish Religious Thought at the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University in Atlanta. He is a published author and continues to write for various professional journals. 

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Currently Rabbi Colbert is Rabbi Emeritus at Temple Emanu-el in Atlanta.

 

When time permits, he loves to travel the world with his wife, Karen; visit his children, Adeena and Trippe Fried; and watch his grandson, Joey, play ice hockey.

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