Our Leadership

Prior to starting Our Jewish Recovery and becoming a freelance rabbi, speaker, and coach, Rabbi Ilan was a congregational rabbi at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Memphis, and at Temple Beth El of North Bergen, NJ. Before that Ilan was a Jewish environmental educator, a caregiver, a cutlery salesman, a cruise salesman, and a wandering minstrel. Rabbi Ilan has led High Holiday services and been a visiting rabbi, storyteller, and musician in communities all across the US, Canada, and Israel for many years.

 A composer of original melodies for Psalms and prayers, Gam Ki Elech: Turning Our Sorrows Into Song, Rabbi Ilan's first album of original music, launched in January 2024.

Rabbi Ilan has a BA in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, a BA in Comparative Literature from the City College of New York, and was ordained as a Rabbi and Mashpia (Spiritual Counselor) by Aleph: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal, and as a Maggid (Inspirational Storyteller) by Yitzhak Buxbaum.

 Rabbi Ilan lives in Reservoir Hill with his wife Sherri, their newborn son Rami Doron, and two adorable furballs. Rabbi Ilan is the secretary of the Baltimore Board of Rabbis, the lead educator for the JCC/Board of Rabbis Introduction to Judaism program, and is a musician and educator at Third Space at Shaarei Torah. Rabbi Ilan speaks and teaches widely about recovery from addiction, healing the grief we carry, and finding music, blessings, and spiritual growth even in the difficulties of life.