Rabbi Dr. Richard C. Nichol serves the congregation as Rabbi Emeritus, after having served as Senior Rabbi for almost 40 years. He is currently the president of the Messianic Jewish Theological Institute (MJTI) and formerly served as president of both the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council (MJRC) and Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, as well as vice president of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance (IMJA).
Rabbi Nichol received a BA in music from Ithaca College, Master of Divinity from Biblical Theological Seminary, Doctor of Ministries in Homiletics from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and Master of Jewish Studies from Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts. He received smicha (ordination) from the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations in 1986. Dr. Nichol and his wife Susan live in Needham, MA and have four grown children and five grandchildren!
Rabbi Rich speaks about his spiritual journey:
“Coming from Long Island, the eldest son in a suburban Jewish family, my spiritual journey centers on living out the deepest possible integration of Jewish life and Messiah Yeshua.” Making this integration a reality for myself, my family and the congregation I love gets me out of bed every morning.”
Watch Rabbi Rich share his journey of how he became a Messianic Jew.
Asked about what inspires him about being a rabbi at Ruach Israel, Rabbi Rich says:
“I am inspired by the profound message of Messianic Judaism. For the first time in almost 2,000 years, Jews living as Jews are re-embracing Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel. Having the privilege of serving as a rabbi in the community of this very old/very new faith thrills me to no end.”
