Rabbi Russ Resnik

Russ Resnik is a veteran rabbi, teacher, counselor, and writer, currently serving as Rabbinic Counsel of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC). In this role, Russ speaks regularly within the UMJC community, particularly in areas of pastoral care and congregational life; provides consultation and counseling services; and functions as a rabbi to rabbis within the community. He has taught and lectured on similar topics as well as biblical studies throughout the USA and in Israel, Canada, Mexico, South America, South Africa, and Russia.

Russ was born in California in 1948, was raised in a Reform Jewish home (complete with a wonderful Bar Mitzvah!), and became a follower of Yeshua in 1972. He was ordained through the UMJC after completing their Yeshiva program in 1990, and served as UMJC executive director from 1999 to 2016. He holds a Master’s degree in counseling from the University of New Mexico and is a Nationally Certified Counselor, as well as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in New Mexico, where Russ maintains a private practice working with men and couples.

As a writer, Russ contributes regularly to Messianic publications and websites and is the author of Gateways to Torah, Creation to Completion: A Guide to Life’s Journey from the Five Books of Moses, Divine Reversal: The Transforming Ethics of Jesus, and A Life of Favor: A Family Therapist Examines the Story of Joseph and His Brothers. Russ and his wife Jane have four children and seven grandchildren, and live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he leads Adonai Ro’i chavurah.

On the MJRC:

The MJRC is vital for the life and future of our community because trained, committed, Ruach-empowered rabbis are vital for our community—especially as they come together to provide wisdom and direction. The day of each man—or each congregation—doing “what is right in his own eyes,” even if allegedly under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, must give way to deference and communal decision making. In this way, our current wonderful collection of diverse congregations will move toward becoming a unified, trans-local Messianic Jewish community. I look forward to the day when “Messianic Jewish” implies recognizable solidarity with Jewish values and customs as well as with the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua, when I can refer friends or loved ones to a Messianic synagogue in a different locale with confidence that they’ll find a place of worship that is consistently Jewish as well as consistently loyal to Messiah. The MJRC—rabbis prayerfully working together—is bringing that day closer.

Additional Info

  • Contact Info:

     

    I lead a home-based chavurah in Albuquerque, NM. For details, contact me at 505-440-2265 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..