Rabbi Jeffrey A. Summit, Jewish Chaplain Emeritus

 Rabbi Jeffrey A. Summit, Ph.D. became Jewish Chaplain Emeritus in July 2018. He served as Jewish Chaplain and Neubauer Executive Director of Tufts Hillel from 1979-2018. He also serves as Research Professor in the Department of Music. He holds rabbinic ordination and an M.A.H.L. from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and a M.A. and Ph.D. from Tufts University.

He is the author of Singing God’s Words: The Performance of Biblical Chant in Contemporary Judaism (Oxford University Press, 2016) and The Lord’s Song in a Strange Land: Music and Identity in Contemporary Jewish Worship (Oxford University Press, 2000) and together with photojournalist Richard Sobol, is co-author of Abayudaya: The Jews of Uganda (Abbeville Press, 2002).

Rabbi Summit has also recorded, compiled, and annotated the CD Abayudaya: Music from the Jewish People of Uganda for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. This CD was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for best album in the category of Traditional World Music. His CD with video Delicious Peace: Coffee, Music and Interfaith Harmony in Uganda (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings) examined the role of music in peace building in a Muslim, Jewish and Christian Fair Trade coffee cooperative and was awarded Best World Music CD by the Independent Music Awards.

His current research focuses on music and identity, music and spiritual experience, music and advocacy, and the impact of technology on the transmission of tradition.  In addition to work and family, he is passionate about hiking, singing and playing instruments with strings.