"The funeral service was beautiful, respectful, and healing. We couldn’t have asked for more."
Jewish Life. Deeply Personal. Beautifully Connected.
Welcome to the online home of Rabbi Michael Asher and the Center for Jewish Discovery of Central Florida.
Whether you’re seeking a warm and engaging rabbi for a lifecycle event, looking to reconnect with Jewish wisdom, or searching for a spiritual community on your own terms — you’re in the right place.
Rabbi Michael Asher
Contact MeIntroducing Rabbi Michael D. Asher
About Rabbi Asher
I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, shaped by a warm Jewish home and a deep love of learning and community. After years of study and service, I was ordained as a rabbi in 2025 — fulfilling a lifelong dream to help others find meaning, connection, and growth through Jewish tradition.
My approach is compassionate, inclusive, and rooted in the timeless wisdom of Torah and Jewish values. I believe Judaism meets us where we are: at our moments of greatest joy, deepest grief, or simple everyday searching.
When I’m not teaching, officiating, or studying, you’ll often find me reading, hiking in the woods, spending time with my family on our boat, fishing, enjoying a good cup of coffee, or communing with the vegetables in my garden. I feel blessed to serve people of all backgrounds and walks of life.
If you’d like to connect, I welcome you with an open heart.
What's Going on at the Center for Jewish Discovery?
The Temple Still Stands Within Us
Rabbi Asher offers a range of rabbinical services to help you mark life’s sacred moments, find guidance, and deepen your Jewish journey
- Lifecycle Events
- Education & Learning
- Community Engagement
Lifecycle Events
- Weddings (traditional and interfaith)
- Baby naming & bris ceremonies
- Bar/Bat/B’nai Mitzvah preparation & officiating – Rabbi Michael Asher will teach you and/or your children to chant Torah and Haftarah, learn prayers and to help ensured you or your loved one are ready for their B’nei Mitzvah whether it is in Israel, or at your local synagogue.
- Funerals & unveilings
Education & Learning
- One-on-one or group Torah study
- Adult education classes
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Teaching you how to read Hebrew – Rabbi Michael Asher will tutor you or your child to read Hebrew quickly and confidently I work with adults and children and with Jews and interfaith alike.
- Holiday preparation and home rituals
- Pastoral Care & Spiritual Counseling
- Individual or family counseling
- Grief and loss support, hosting Shiva minyans in person and online
- Spiritual direction & personal growth
Community Engagement
- Speaking, lectures, and guest sermons
- Consulting for Jewish communities or organizations
- Interfaith dialogue and outreach