Our Rabbi

Rabbi Dr. Ronald L. Androphy has been the spiritual leader of the East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center since 1983.

Rabbi Androphy was born and raised in Waterbury, CT. He attended Beth El Synagogue and its Hebrew and Hebrew High Schools, and Camp Ramah in New England.  He was very active in USY, serving as chapter president for two years and president of the Connecticut Region.

Rabbi Androphy earned his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Brandeis University, where he majored in economics. Upon his return from six months’ traveling through Western and Eastern Europe and Israel, he decided to study for the rabbinate. He enrolled at the Jewish Theological Seminary in NewYork, from which he received his M.A. and rabbinical ordination.

Rabbi Androphy served as spiritual leader of Congregation Shomray Hadath in Elmira, NY, from 1978 to 1983.

Rabbi Androphy is a past president of the Rabbinical Assembly of Nassau-Suffolk, and served for ten years as the Av Bet Din (chief judge) of its conversion court. He is also a past president of the Long Island Board of Rabbis and the East Meadow Clergy Association, and past chairman of the Rabbinic Advisory Committee of the UJA-Federation of Long Island. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the New York Board of Rabbis.  In addition, he is chaplain of the East Meadow Fire Department and has served in a similar capacity for the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs New York Metro Region.

The Rabbi earned his doctorate (DHL) in Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He is an adjunct assistant professor of Bible at the Seminary, and also served as a mentor in the Resnick Internship program for rabbinical students.

During his sabbatical in 2007-2008, Rabbi Androphy received the prestigious Daniel Jeremy Silver Fellowship at Harvard University, an award given to only one rabbi per year.

Additionally, the Rabbi can frequently be seen bicycling or jogging around East Meadow. The Rabbi and his wife, Nancy, are the parents of four children, and are grandparents to nine beautiful grandchildren.