Speaker Profile Rabbi Mark Dratch

Rabbi Mark Dratch served as Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Council of America from 2012-2024 and is the founder of JSafe (The Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse-Free Environment) and was on the leadership team of FaithTrust Institute, a multifaith organization addressing abuse in faith communities. Dratch is a graduate of Yeshiva University (Yeshiva College, 1979; RIETS (rabbinic ordination), 1982; Ferkauf Graduate School (Jewish Education), 1982); and received an MSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work (2012 Dratch served as a congregational rabbi for 22 years. Congregations include: Congregation Agudath Sholom, Stamford, Connecticut; Shaarei Shomayim Congregation, Toronto, Ontario; Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, New York, New York; Boca Raton Synagogue, Boca Raton, FL (Dratch was the founding Rabbi); Congregation Beth Israel, Schenectady, New York. He also served as the Webbe Rebbe - answering "Ask the rabbi" questions addressed to the Orthodox Union on its web site. He served as chairman of the RCA’s task force on rabbinic improprieties and was responsible for spearheading and formulating policy guidelines for responding to allegations against member rabbis. He was a member of the Orthodox Caucus, the Orthodox Forum, and the Orthodox Roundtable. He was an Instructor of Jewish Studies and Philosophy at the Isaac Breuer College of Yeshiva University and the camp rabbi of Camp Morasha. Dratch has published articles, in English and Hebrew-language journals, on the interface between Jewish law and contemporary society. He edited Foundation of Faith (OU Press, 2022), a commentary on Pirkei Avot based on Rabbi Norman Lamm's teachings and writings. In July 2023, he and his wife made Aliyah and are now residents of Jerusalem.