Rabbi David Gingold-Altchek is of Greek (Salonika) and Russian decent. A native of Fort Lauderdale, David attended the Mesivta of Miami and the Talmudic University prior to moving to Israel at age sixteen. In Israel David attended classes in both the Porat Yosef and the Mir Yeshivot respectively. At age seventeen, almost two years after his arrival in Israel, David met Rabbi Shlomo Kassin and became a student at the SSC for the subsequent five years.
David was ordained (husmach) by the Shehebar Sephardic Center and R’ Zalman Nehemia Goldberg respectively. He earned an MA in Judaic Studies and is currently pursuing an MS in Clinical Psychology. He is also a graduate (with honors) from the U.S. Army College of Military Ministry.
In Israel David taught in multiple yeshivot and served as the Rabbi of the Hevrat Ashas Synagogue in Tel-Aviv, reviving the synagogue after more than 40 years of disuse. At the behest of R’ Kassin, David and his family moved to Kobe, Japan, where he served as the Rabbi of Hechal Shelomo, the nation’s largest, most historical, and most established congregation for close to four years. David built the congregation in size but more importantly in educational infrastructure. Having learned the language, David took part in and lectured at many official functions, to include: Kobe Interfaith Comity, UN Peace Comity – Osaka region, and represented the Jewish faith at the 66th Nagasaki Annual Peace Conference.
After leaving Japan, David was commissioned to serve in the U.S. Army as a chaplain. David served in the Army for three years, serving as both the post Rabbi and a command & unit chaplain. He served with the 97th Military Police Battalion in Fort Riley, KS and with the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Fort Stewart, GA. David was medically discharged from the Army but continues his outreach to Soldiers and all service members by supporting his wife’s organization, Bizchut Nashim, as the Religious Director.
David currently serves as the Rabbi of the Etz Chaim Synagogue in Indianapolis. His primary interests of research are: Halacha, Kabbalah, Jewish Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion, Psychology, Jewish History, and Linguistics.