Rabbi Colbert brings a wealth of education and experience to Temple Emanu-El

Article by George Jordan for The Jewish Georgian
November-December 2007 Issue

    In the twenty years that Scott Colbert has been in Atlanta, he has worn many hats. He and his wife, Karen, and their daughter, Adeena, came here in 1987, when he joined the professional staff of Temple Emanu-El, a Reform congregation in Dunwoody, as its cantor and director of religious education. In 2001, he was the first invested cantor to earn a doctor of ministry degree in pastoral care and counseling from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York, a degree granted in conjunction with the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health. Dr. Colbert then became a certified pastoral counselor. In September 2006, he was ordained as a rabbi, following many years of concentrated study at a yeshiva in Woodmere, New York.
     Rabbi Colbert said he began studying at the yeshiva not with the intent of becoming a rabbi but to deepen his knowledge of Jewish text. However, after he completed several years of study, the yeshiva offered him the opportunity of ordination, as they felt his life experience and academic background qualified him to bear the title of rabbi.
    In 1991, during a period when Temple Emanu-El was without a rabbi, Cantor Colbert was designated its interim spiritual leader, thus enabling the temple to continue providing a full complement of services to its members. In 1992, he received a lifetime contract from Temple Emanu-El, which has benefited from his services as an educator, cantor, pastoral counselor, and now rabbi.
    A native of Los Angeles, Rabbi Colbert attended UCLA and then pursued his cantorial studies at the HUC-JIR, School of Sacred Music. At the same time, he earned an advanced degree in educational administration. In 2001, the HUC-JIR honored him with a doctor of music degree, honoris causa.
    Prior to coming to Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi Colbert served as head of school of the Valley Jewish Day School, Phoenix, Arizona; and cantor-educator of Temple Beth-El, San Antonio, Texas, and Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Seattle, Washington.
    When asked what prompted him to follow career paths devoted to Judaism, he said he was inspired by Dr. Jack Horowitz, an educator in his hometown congregation, and the congregation’s cantor, Robert Nadell. Dr. Horowitz had studied under the chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Kook, who stressed the importance of “giving the next generation of Jews significant knowledge that they needed to enable the Jewish people to grow and be strong in their own land.” Scott was taught this doctrine and said he felt it was his duty and responsibility to carry it out.
     Rabbi Colbert said that during his teaching career, he was able to see in certain students their potential to become rabbis or cantors, since they were conscientious and enthusiastic about their Jewish studies. For students who learn differently, he challenged his staff to formulate new techniques to assist them in their education. He also inspired the Temple Emanu-El teaching staff to instill Jewish pride in their students.

    In his “spare time,” Rabbi Colbert maintains a private practice in pastoral counseling and specializes in working with people who are struggling with cancer and other terminal illnesses.
    Over the years, Rabbi Colbert has made many trips to Israel—with families, with teenagers, on Federation missions, and as executive vice president of the American Conference of Cantors. He has had the opportunity to meet with several prime ministers, including Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu.
    Rabbi Colbert says that teaching, counseling, being a cantor, and now serving as a rabbi have brought special meaning into his life. Each has enriched him in unique ways and brought unique challenges. He looks forward to many new challenges and ways to engage people in observing a meaningful Jewish life.