Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Rabbi Josh Knobel received a bachelor’s degree in physics, as well as a commission as a second lieutenant, from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2001. He then served for seven years as a telecommunications officer on active duty, including deployments to Kuwait and Afghanistan, where he learned from his fellow soldiers the profound impact that Jewish ritual and Jewish values can have upon our identities and the ways in which we meet the opportunities and challenges that await us in all walks of life.

After completing his active-duty service in 2008, Rabbi Josh joined the Army Reserve and began his studies at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), first in Jerusalem, and then in Los Angeles. It was at HUC-JIR that he met and married his beloved wife, Lisa, who currently serves as a rabbi at Leo Baeck Temple. They share two insightful and curious children, Shifra, 6, and Shiloh, 4.

Upon becoming a rabbi in 2014, Rabbi Josh joined the Stephen Wise Temple community and Wise School as a rabbi and Dean of Student and Family Life. In 2019, Rabbi Knobel joined the Center for Youth Engagement with the goal of helping families access flexible, engaging, and impactful Jewish educational experiences that meet their needs and goals.