Rabbi Lawrence Troster, the spiritual leader of Kesher Israel Congregation in West Chester and a leading Jewish environment activist, died at the age of 65, according to JTA.
In addition to his work at Kesher Israel Congregation, Troster was a member of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project Leadership Corps, the rabbinic adviser for Hazon and rabbinic fellow for the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life. He also founded Shomrei Breishit: Rabbis and Cantors For the Earth and served as rabbinic director for J Street.
He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary. JTS awarded him an honorary doctorate for his more than 25 years of rabbinic service, according to JTA.
Troster is survived by his wife, two daughters and their husbands, three granddaughters and one grandson.
A funeral will be held May 26 at 9 a.m. at Gutterman and Musicant Jewish Funeral Directors in Hackensack, N.J., according to the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia. He will be interred at Beth El Cemetery in Paramus, N.J.
Kesher Israel Congregation will hold a memorial service on June 2 at 10 a.m.
Donations can be made to the Arava Institute or to Kesher Israel Congregation.
