Rabbi Jonathan Falco is thrilled to join the clergy team as Temple Beth-El's new Assistant Rabbi. Rabbi Falco was raised in Westchester, New York, where synagogue life and Jewish community shaped his early years. He studied Jewish Studies at Emory University, graduating in 2014, and then spent a year in Israel immersing himself in Hebrew and daily life. Upon returning to the U.S., he worked as the Engagement Associate for Hillel at the University of Delaware, where he discovered his passion for helping others build meaningful Jewish connections. 
 
Rabbi Falco studied at the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion on the Cincinnati campus after the first year in Jerusalem. In his final year, he served as the Rabbinic Intern at Wise Temple in Cincinnati. Following his ordination in 2022, Rabbi Falco served as the Assistant Rabbi at Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan, NJ. Throughout his tenure, he led tefillah, offered pastoral support, and created educational opportunities across generations — from toddlers in the Early Learning Center, to middle schoolers as the Youth Group advisor, to adults in Lifelong Learning programs. Some of his favorite Lifelong Learning classes he's taught include Jewish Extremism: Then and Now (Everyone Has Their Crazies), Reform Responsa, and Chosen for a Purpose: Jewish Identity and the Concept of Chosenness.  

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While Rabbi Falco may be new to Texas, he loves calling San Antonio his new home. When he's not at the Temple, you can find him on the tennis court, exploring the vast aisles of H-E-B, or trying different cowboy hats on for size.