Rabbi Neal Alan Katz is the eighth full-time rabbi at Congregation Beth El since it began in 1887. In 2003, he earned his M.A.H.L. (Masters in Arts of Hebrew Letters) and received his rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College (HUC) in Cincinnati, OH. His rabbinic thesis was an exploration of Predicate Theology and the witings of Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis.

Rabbi Katz grew up in Virginia Beach, VA and was active in his home congregation of Ohef Sholom in Norfolk, VA. Neal grew up in NFTY, the UAHC Camps Eisner and Kutz, and was regional vice-president for NFTY-MAR (then MAFTY) for two years.

In college, Neal spent his junior year in Israel studying at Hebrew Union College and living on Kibbutz Tzora. After receiving his undergraduate degree in political science from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, Neal married Jennifer Brown. He then became the full-time Director of Youth and Social Action Activities at Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C. During that same time, Neal spent two additional years at George Mason University doing graduate work in counseling.

During the seven years Rabbi Katz was in the Northern Virginia area, he was fortunate to work with many congregations and communities in the capacity of song-leader, teacher, youth group advisor, and service-leader. Most notably was Congregation Ner Shalom in Woodbridge, VA where Neal was mentored by Rabbi Jonathan Katz.

Neal and Jennifer moved to Israel in 1998 to begin his seminary training. While at HUC, Neal pursued his love for Jewish music as an active song-leader for various camps, youth groups, and congregations in and around the Midwest. Neal worked at Camp Ben Frankel in Carbondale, IL for three summers serving as camp rabbi and song-leader. Neal also had the opportunity to song-lead for a Progressive Jewish summer camp outside of Minsk, Belarus in the summer of 1999. Rabbi Katz has released two CDs of his original Jewish music. His songs have become popular in congregations, camps, and Religious School around the country. The website for his Jewish music can be found at KatzMusic.com.

While in rabbinc school, Neal served as a student rabbi at congregations in Great Falls, MT, right here in Tyler, TX, and McGehee, AR.

On October 4, 2005, Rabbi Katz was honored with the prestigious T.B. Butler Award for "Most Outstanding Citizen in Tyler 2004" by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. He shared the award with Anwar Khalifa, leader of the East Texas Islamic Society. The award was based on their work with the Abraham House, a joint Jewish-Muslim Habitat for Humanity project benefiting a Christian woman. The article about the award can be read by clicking here.

Neal also taught an Introduction to Judaism course at Tyler Junior College for three semesters. In the Fall of 2007, he taught a course in Jewish Philosophy at the University of Texas at Tyler.

Neal has been active in the greater Tyler community. He was president of the Tyler Ministerial Alliance from 2004-2009, and has been a speaker at numerous churches and organizations. He is a graduate of Leadership Tyler, Class 19, and in 2009, he was the the Board President of P.A.T.H. (People Attempting to Help) - which is a faith-based social service and relief agency. Neal also served on the Ethics Committee for the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. Currently, he is serving on the Board of the Hospice of East Texas.

Neal is a proud member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and currently serves the Treasurer for its Southwest Association. For the past six summers, Neal has served on faculty at the URJ Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, TX.

In 2008-2009, Neal was a participant in the Brickner Fellowship. The Brickner Fellows is a joint program of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and the Religious Action Center. The Fellowship works with rabbis from around the country to develop integration skills between religious and civic leadership.

Neal and Jennifer have a son, Micah, and two daughters, Lila and Rebecca. They are both happy to be official Tyler-ites and look forward to many years of study and friendship with the community.