Rabbi Dennis S. Ross is director of Concerned Clergy for Choice for The Education Fund of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, where he coordinates an interfaith network of 1000 clergy in support of reproductive rights. He is also one of the rabbis of Temple Emanuel of Worcester, MA and has served synagogues in New York, Washington, DC, and Massachusetts.
Rabbi Ross earned a B. A. in Psychology from Queens College of the City University of New York in 1975, an M. A. in Hebrew Literature from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1978 where he was ordained as Rabbi in 1980, the Master of Social Work degree from New York University in 1984 and the Primary Certificate in Rational-Emotive Therapy from the Albert Ellis Institute. He is certified in All-Options Counseling by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice through the Auburn Theological Seminary and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2005 included recognition of his advocacy work for reproductive rights and stem cell research. He is a member of the Community Advisory Board of Central Massachusetts for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and the Executive Committees of the Clergy Advisory Board as well as the Eastern Council of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
He has taught at Hebrew Union College, Manhattanville College and Williams College and was an Associate of the Faculty of the University of Massachusetts Medical School where he taught bio-medical ethics. He has led professional training workshops for the Central Conference of American Rabbis nationally and regionally, Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and chaplaincy training programs at Albany Medical Center and Berkshire Medical Center.
Rabbi Ross has written for The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Journal of Reform Judaism and MultiCultural Review. His most recent book, God in Our Relationships: The Spirituality between People from the Teachings of Martin Buber is released by Jewish Lights Publishing as is his contribution to the LifeLights Series, “Abortion and Judaism.” Through Family Planning Advocates of New York State, he is author of Stem Cell Research: A Study and Advocacy Toolkit for Clergy and lead author of When a Woman Makes a Choice: A Curriculum on Reproductive Decisions for Clinical Pastoral Education.
He travels frequently to speak about reproductive rights, stem cell research, end-of-life, Jewish spirituality and the separation of church and state. His website is www.dennisross.net