Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback is a passionate advocate for human dignity, Jewish justice, and progressive Zionism.
He is the founder and volunteer Executive Director of KAVOD, a grassroots tzedakah collective that empowers donors to respond directly to urgent needs, preserving dignity while advancing equity and compassion.
A committed educator, artist, and spiritual leader, Rabbi Yoshi composes and records contemporary Jewish music with the group Mah Tovu, which has released three albums, published two books, and performed nationwide. He is also the author of Day of Days; Days of Wonder, Nights of Peace; and the Shalom Ivrit II teacher’s guide—works that reflect his passion for joyful, accessible, and inclusive Jewish learning.
Rabbi Yoshi currently serves as the Senior Rabbi of Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles, a leading Reform congregation known for its commitment to Jewish education, social action, and Zionist engagement. He began his tenure there in 2012 as Head of School and was named the Temple’s third Senior Rabbi in 2015.
He lectures at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Los Angeles and is a Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, where he helps shape Jewish thought at the intersection of modernity, morality, and Israel.
Previously, Rabbi Yoshi led Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California, for 11 years. In 2009, he moved to Israel with his family to become Director of HUC’s Year-in-Israel program, guiding and teaching emerging rabbis and educators, and deepening his own lifelong connection to the land and people of Israel. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Israel.
A graduate of Princeton University, Rabbi Yoshi received his rabbinic ordination in 1998 and holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from HUC-JIR’s Los Angeles campus.
He was born in Colorado Springs and raised in Omaha, Nebraska—formative experiences that continue to shape his inclusive approach to community-building and activism. He is married to Jacqueline Hantgan, and they are the proud parents of three daughters.