Communities do not grow accidentally.
They grow slowly, thoughtfully, and often quietly — shaped over years by people willing to invest not only in buildings or programs, but in Torah, in relationships, and in creating something larger than themselves. A strong kehillah is not built in a single moment. It is built through thousands of conversations after davening, late-night board meetings, shiurim that stay with people long after they end, families choosing where they want to raise their children, and leaders willing to carry both responsibility and vision at the same time.
And every so often, a moment arrives that signals that growth has reached a new stage.
Not through headlines or grand announcements, but through a decision that reflects confidence in the future.
For Kemp Mill Synagogue, that moment has arrived with the appointment of Rabbi Shmuel Lubin as the shul’s very first Assistant Rabbi.
In many ways, the appointment represents far more than a new position within the synagogue. It reflects what KMS has become over the years: one of the Greater Washington area’s most thoughtful, intellectually vibrant, and genuinely warm Modern Orthodox communities — a kehillah where serious Torah learning exists alongside professional excellence, where Religious Zionism and openness coexist naturally, and where people from different backgrounds and stages of life feel deeply connected under one roof.
As the Silver Spring community continues growing, so too has the role KMS plays within the broader Jewish landscape of the region. What was once a neighborhood synagogue has increasingly become a center of Torah, conversation, mentorship, and communal life for hundreds of families seeking authenticity, warmth, and meaningful Jewish growth.
In an era where many communities struggle simply to preserve identity and continuity, KMS has managed to do something far more difficult: grow while maintaining depth. Grow while preserving seriousness. Grow while remaining personal. There is a certain intellectual and emotional honesty that people feel when they walk into the shul — a sense that beneath the programming, events, and learning opportunities is something genuine: people striving to build meaningful Jewish lives together.
“It is a testament to how much KMS has grown, thank God, that the shul is now ready to welcome an assistant rabbi for the first time,” wrote Rabbi Weinberg in his message to the community.
That sentence captures something many throughout the Greater Washington Jewish community already feel: KMS has become far more than simply a neighborhood synagogue. Over the years, it has evolved into one of the region’s most intellectually vibrant, spiritually serious, and genuinely warm Modern Orthodox communities — a place where Torah learning, Religious Zionism, thoughtful conversation, and authentic relationships intersect naturally.
And with the arrival of Rabbi Lubin — a RIETS musmach, Torah educator, podcast creator, and Johns Hopkins PhD candidate in biology — many throughout the community already sense that this is not simply an addition to the staff of a synagogue.
It is the beginning of a new chapter in the story of a growing kehillah.
Rabbi Weinberg described the extensive effort that went into the search process, praising both the committee’s dedication and the thoughtful conversations that helped shape the role itself.
“The search committee worked hard not only to help identify and interview candidates, but also to clarify the role itself and determine what would best support me as rabbi and serve our growing shul.”
He continued:
“The range of perspectives and experiences represented on the committee led to thoughtful and candid conversations that ultimately enabled me to arrive at a clearer sense of direction.”
Rabbi Lubin arrives at KMS with an unusual and compelling background — one that feels uniquely aligned with the character of the community itself. After receiving semicha from RIETS at Yeshiva University, he pursued advanced scientific research and is currently completing a PhD in biology at Johns Hopkins University. Alongside his doctoral work, he continued teaching Torah through JLIC and informal learning initiatives.
Rabbi Weinberg noted that Rabbi Lubin “showed himself to be creative, knowledgeable, humble, talented, hard-working, and deeply passionate about KMS and what we are trying to achieve here.”
That balance between intellectual achievement and deep personal humility appears throughout Rabbi Lubin’s own message to the community.
“It is with great excitement and a deep sense of responsibility that I write to introduce myself as Assistant Rabbi of KMS.”
“I’m equally honored and humbled to be joining you all in continuing to build the shul through this next phase.”
Rather than positioning himself simply as a teacher arriving to lead, Rabbi Lubin emphasized something deeper — a desire to grow alongside the community itself.
“I am excited to join the KMS family as a community where my family and I, too, hope to grow—one where I can not only teach, but learn from all of you and get to know you along the way.”
For many readers, one of the most striking parts of Rabbi Lubin’s story may be the way he speaks about balancing professional life, Torah learning, family, and communal responsibility — something that resonates deeply within the culture of KMS and the broader Greater Washington Orthodox community.
“Becoming an assistant rabbi after doctoral research in biology may not be the most conventional path,” he wrote, “but the more time I have spent as an informal Torah educator, the more I have seen what a meaningful difference Torah learning can make in helping people connect to Hashem and to one another.”
He added:
“I hope that helps give me a perspective on the daily lives of so many congregants who balance a profession with a serious commitment to Torah, to their families, and to the KMS community.”
There is also a personal connection tying the Lubin family back to Kemp Mill itself. Rabbi Lubin shared that his wife Naomi, granddaughter of Rabbi Jacob and Judith Halpern a”h, has deep roots in the community, and that moving to Kemp Mill feels like “returning to our roots.”
Rabbi Weinberg expressed particular excitement not only about what Rabbi Lubin will contribute to the shul, but about the opportunity to mentor and help shape a talented young rabbi at an important stage in his journey.
“We are excited both for what Rabbi Lubin will bring to KMS and for the opportunity to help support and shape a talented young rabbi at an important stage in his professional journey.”
And perhaps most importantly, Rabbi Weinberg reflected on the kind of community KMS strives to remain:
“We have built a shul where people of diverse backgrounds and hashkafot can feel a genuine connection to Torah and community under one roof, grounded in a proudly Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist ethos.”
“Our community is defined by authenticity, respect, genuinely good people, and a deep sense of purpose.”
In many ways, the appointment of Rabbi Lubin feels like a continuation of exactly that vision — thoughtful, grounded, intellectually serious, and deeply human.
As Rabbi Lubin and his family prepare to officially join the community this summer, there is already a strong sense throughout Kemp Mill Synagogue that this is more than an announcement. It is the beginning of a partnership. A new source of energy, Torah leadership, and meaningful connection. And another important step forward in the continued growth of one of the Greater Washington area’s most remarkable kehillot.
And with the arrival of Rabbi Lubin — a RIETS musmach, Torah educator, podcast creator, and Johns Hopkins University PhD candidate in biology — many throughout the community already sense that this is not simply an addition to the staff of a synagogue.
It is the beginning of a new chapter in the story of a growing kehillah.
At a time when so many communities are searching for deeper meaning, stronger connection, and authentic leadership, KMS continues building thoughtfully and intentionally — investing not only in programs or growth, but in people, relationships, Torah, and the future of Jewish life in the Greater Washington area.
Below is Rabbi Shmuel Lubin’s original letter to the KMS community, shared ahead of his family’s move to Kemp Mill this summer. In many ways, the letter reflects the same qualities that left such a profound impression throughout the search process: humility, intellectual depth, warmth, sincerity, and a genuine desire not only to teach Torah, but to grow together alongside the community itself.
As Rabbi Lubin prepares to officially begin his role this August, many throughout KMS are already looking forward to the wisdom, energy, and perspective he and his family will bring to the shul — and to the next stage in the continued growth of one of the Greater Washington Jewish community’s most vibrant, thoughtful, and inspiring communities.
Rabbi Shmuel Lubin’s Original Letter to the KMS Community
Dear KMS community,
It is with great excitement and a deep sense of responsibility that I write to introduce myself as Assistant Rabbi of KMS. It is a testament to how much KMS has grown, thank God, that the shul is now ready to welcome an assistant rabbi for the first time, and I’m equally honored and humbled to be joining you all in continuing to build the shul through this next phase. I look forward to supporting Rabbi Weinberg in his work to deepen this kehillah’s Torah learning and spiritual life, and at the same time I am excited to join the KMS family as a community where my family and I, too, hope to grow—one where I can not only teach, but learn from all of you and get to know you along the way.
To start that off, I’ll share a little about myself: I grew up in West Hempstead, NY, and my parents now live in Yerushalayim. Through marriage, I have deep roots in Silver Spring: my wife Naomi (née Wakschlag) is the granddaughter of Rabbi Jacob and Judith Halpern a”h, two remarkable people who lived in Kemp Mill for many decades and whose professional lives were devoted to Jewish education in the wider Greater Washington community. Naomi and I, along with our two boys, Matanel and Yakov, are thrilled to be “returning to our roots” by moving to Kemp Mill from Baltimore this summer.
After receiving semicha from RIETS (Yeshiva University), I spent several years on a path toward becoming a research scientist. I am now wrapping up a PhD in biology at Johns Hopkins, where I’ve also continued to teach Torah informally through their JLIC and Hillel. Becoming an assistant rabbi after doctoral research in biology may not be the most conventional path, but the more time I have spent as an informal Torah educator, the more I have seen what a meaningful difference Torah learning can make in helping people connect to Hashem and to one another through deepening our understanding of our Jewish heritage. With Hashem’s help, I also intend to remain professionally active alongside my role in the shul, and I hope that helps give me a perspective on the daily lives of so many congregants who balance a profession with a serious commitment to Torah, to their families, and to the KMS community.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to Rabbi Weinberg, someone whom I have long admired from afar for his warmth and his vision, and now have the privilege of looking to both as a mentor and partner. Just as importantly, I want to publicly say a very heartfelt thank you to all the members of the Assistant Rabbi Search Committee, and to KMS president Tobie Hollander, who all did an extraordinary amount of work to bring the shul to this point.
It is truly inspiring to see how much thoughtfulness and dedication went into this process, and with Hashem’s help, I hope to honor that effort by devoting myself to the shul’s continued spiritual growth. I am looking forward to partnering with Rabbi Weinberg, Yoetzet Halacha and Community Scholar Adina Blaustein, and all of you to grow together in Torah and avodat Hashem, both as individuals and as a community, when I begin this role in August. Until then, if you see me around the neighborhood or in shul, please come over and introduce yourself. I cannot wait to meet you!
B’yedidut,
Rabbi Shmuel Lubin
