Rabbi Simon Stratford serves as the Associate Rabbi at Temple Sholom. He was ordained from the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in May 2017. Before arriving at Temple Sholom, Rabbi Stratford served as the rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in Frederick, Maryland. During his tenure, Rabbi Stratford increased synagogue membership by thirty percent, revitalized the congregational committee structure to promote volunteerism, and implemented numerous community wide interfaith events and programs. Rabbi Stratford also served as a member of Frederick County Hospice Spiritual Care Advisory Board.

Rabbi Stratford’s passion for Reform Judaism and love of life-long Jewish learning was fostered during many summers at URJ’s Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin as a camper and counselor. As a rabbi, he is in the business of building and sustaining sacred Jewish community, the foundation of which rests upon meaningful personal relationships. Rabbi Stratford has completed three units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), accumulating twelve hundred clinical hours. Rabbi Stratford’s pastoral skills serve as the basis for all he does as a rabbi.

Rabbi Stratford is originally from Buffalo Grove, Illinois and received his bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Michigan State University with a specialization in Judaic Studies. When he isn’t immersing himself in Jewish communal life, Rabbi Stratford and his wife, Nicki, enjoy cooking, hiking, and reading. They live in Sharonville with their pup, Remi.