Bob Alper brings stand-up to Temple Sinai

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This rabbi isn’t just fun, he’s a professional comedian.

Providence native Rabbi Bob Alper will bring his “unorthodox’ style of comedy to Temple Sinai in Cranston on April 28 at 7 p.m.

Alper, who now lives in Vermont, graduated from  Classical High School in 1962, and went on to graduate from Lehigh University and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion where he was ordained as a rabbi in 1972. From 1972-1986, he served congregations in Buffalo, New York, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while earning a Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Since 1988, Alper has performed as a full-time stand-up comic across North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Israel, and can be heard on Sirius/XM radio. While at Classical, Alper was the editor-in-chief of the Classical Review and its first-ever April Fool’s edition. In his senior year, he took a creative writing class, to which he credits the publication of his three books, writing of countless sermons and the careful crafting of his comedy routine.  Bob is married to Sherri, a psychotherapist.

In February Steve Lipman of the New Jersey Jewish News, interviewed Alper about his life as a rabbi, motivational speaker and Honorary Comedic Advisory of Pope Francis. The last is a title he received in 2015, beating 4,000 entrants from 47 countries in a digital “Joke with the Pope” contest. Sponsored by the Pontifical Missions Society, according to Lipman’s story, the contest, part of Francis’s increasing use of social media, was designed to reinforce the pope’s joyful approach to life before a visit to the United States.

You can read the rest of Lipman’s story at jewishrhody.org. It’s reprinted with his permission.

On Monday, April 29, Alper will be honored as one of the 2019 Distinguished Alumni by Classical High School at a dinner at the Providence Marriott. Earlier earlier that day, each of the alumni will speak to students at Classical.

 

Temple Sinai, Rabbi Bob Alper, comedy, event