Rabbi Josh Lesser

Rabbi Josh founded the Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity, cofounded the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta, serving as its first Jewish president, and chaired the City of Atlanta’s Human Relations Commission. He sits on the Mayor of Atlanta’s Task Force for LGBT Concerns and was recently awarded the Phoenix Award, Atlanta’s top honor given to its citizens, for his unwavering service to the city. He was the editor of the groundbreaking LGBTQ Torah commentary, Torah Queeries, and was recognized as one of The 36 Most Inspiring Rabbis by the Forward and one of The 100 Most Influential LGBTQ Clergy by the Huffington Post.

Most recently, he co-founded Bridges Faith Initiative, a nonprofit mobilizing the faith community to support just immigration policy and civilian security. He serves as an adjunct professor of Judaism at Agnes Scott College and as a consultant on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. A trained spiritual director, Josh currently works with The OnBeing Project and their Social Healing Fellowship as the Spiritual Director to the fellows and as a spiritual director for Hebrew Union College serving their rabbinical students. He is part of the inaugural Mid-career Rabbinic innovation fellowship at the Center for Rabbinic Innovation.

Josh’s work continues to elevate timely conversations that help communities engage in healing and justice. To respond to the challenges that faith and spiritual leaders have encountered during the pandemic and political disruption, he created two international online forums for clergy to brainstorm, share resources, and offer mutual support. Josh’s leadership experience and focus on social healing help his clients and communities advance their missions, cultivate connection and deepen communal joy.