Rabbi Wes Kalmar hails from Baltimore, Maryland where he attended Talmudical Academy for thirteen years. Upon graduating from high school he studied for two years at Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim in Beit Meir, Israel and then earned his bachelors degree in Judaic Studies as a Max Stern Scholar at Yeshiva University. With a desire to spend more time devoted to intensive Torah study, Rabbi Kalmar returned to Israel and participated in a kollel program at Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim that focused on the study of the laws of Shabbos. Rabbi Kalmar received his semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) at Yeshiva University and earned a masters degree in Medieval Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, Rabbi Kalmar enjoyed working extensively with Jewish youth. He served as a dorm counselor at Yeshiva University and was very involved in NCSY (National Council for Synagogue Youth) – as an advisor in the Atlantic Seaboard region and as a madrich, teaching Torah at the NCSY Summer Kollel in Efrat, Israel. Rabbi Kalmar’s first rabbinic position was as the Rabbinic Intern at The Jewish Center in Manhattan, New York where he was mentored by Rabbis Jacob J. Schacter (Now Senior Scholar at the Center for the Jewish Future at Yeshiva University) and Ari Berman (Now President of Yeshiva University). Rabbi Kalmar then assumed the pulpit at Congregation Mount Sinai in Jersey City, New Jersey. Rabbi Kalmar has taught Jewish history, law Talmud, Chumash and led the Israel Advocacy Club at Bat Torah Academy, Suffern, NY and Westchester Hebrew High School, Mamaroneck, NY. From 2004 until 2009 Rabbi Kalmar served as the Rabbi at the Westville Synagogue in New Haven, Connecticut. In addition to attending to the pastoral needs of his congregants, Rabbi Kalmar participated in every aspect of Jewish communal life in New Haven, including serving as secretary of the Vaad Hakashrut of Fairfield County and as a member of the: chevra kadisha, halachic advisory boards of the eruv and mikveh, Greater New Haven Board of Rabbis and the boards of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven. Rabbi Kalmar assumed the pulpit at ASKT in August of 2010 and has benefited tremendously from the mentorship of Rabbi Nachman Levine, founding Rabbi and current Rabbi Emeritus. Since his arrival, Rabbi Kalmar has been active in creating and developing an innovative adult education program, teaching a wide range of Torah classes, revitalizing many of the shul’s committees and developing exciting youth programming. Rabbi Kalmar has also been involved with the boards of Bader Hillel Academy, The Milwaukee Jewish Federation, the Chicago Rabbinical Council, the Wisconsin Board of Rabbis and has taught at Bader Hillel High School. Rabbi Kalmar has also joined the shul softball team, participated in ASKT Cholent Madness every year, and is committed to continuing ASKT’s tradition of being an inspiring place to pray, learn, connect with other Jews and grow in spirituality. .