Klein became the first openly gay man chosen to head a national rabbinical association of one of the major Jewish denominations in the United States in 2013, when he was chosen as president of theReconstructionist Rabbinical Association.[3][4] He was also the firstHillel director to hold the presidency, the chief volunteer position of the organization.[5] As of his election as president, Klein was the executive director of Hillel at UMBC, theUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County, a post he held from 2006 until 2013.[6] He served as president of theReconstructionist Rabbinical Association for two years—until 2015.[5] As of July 2013 he became the Director of the Center for Jewish Life at JCP Downtown, the Jewish Community Project of Lower Manhattan,[7] where he served until 2018.
Beginning in 2018, Klein served on the clergy and executive team of Temple Israel, Minneapolis, as the Director of Lifelong Learning atTemple Israel, Minneapolis.[8]
Klein grew up in East Brunswick and Montclair, both in New Jersey, graduated from Columbia University in 1997, and was ordained by theReconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2002.[6][5] He lives in Manhattan.
