Rabbi Bruce Elder was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He graduated from Indiana University, Phi Beta Kappa, with a bachelor’s degree in History and Psychology with certification in Jewish Studies. Upon graduation, Rabbi Elder moved to Chicago where he worked for the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), a Jewish social justice organization dedicated to empowering Chicago’s diverse communities. His work at the JCUA led him to become a rabbi. He entered Hebrew Union College, the Reform movement’s theological seminary, and was ordained in 1996. He served as an assistant rabbi for a congregation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey before moving back to Chicago in 1999. Rabbi Elder served as associate rabbi of Congregation Hakafa in Glencoe, IL and again on the staff of the JCUA until assuming the position of Rabbi at Hakafa in 2002. He currently serves as the facilitator of the Shut Tornillo Down Coalition and sits on the board of Second Nurture. Rabbi Elder lives in Highland Park, IL with his wife, Rona, and their three sons, Joshua, Noah, and Eli.