Dr. Barth brings to this position extensive experience in administration, faculty activities and devoted service to the Reform Movement and the Jewish Community. As Dean of the Los Angeles campus from 1970-79, he was responsible for the development of academic programs and support activities for the College after its relocation to its present site adjacent to the University of Southern California. He has served as Faculty Representative to the HUC-JIR Board of Governors and has been a strong advocate for the strengthening of the Rabbinic Program on the Los Angeles campus.

During the past thirteen years, he developed and administered the Berit Mila Program for the Reform Movement. He is actively engaged in teaching and research as Professor of Midrash and Related Literature. He has been among the pioneers at HUC-JIR in the utilization of electronic media for teaching and research and has lectured in the United States and abroad. He is the author of scholarly articles on Midrashic literature and serves on the editorial board of scholarly journals and electronic scholarly lists.

As a reflection of his interests in modern Jewish experience, he edited the book Berit Mila in the Reform Context, the first major work in Reform Judaism dealing with this subject. He co-edited, with Ruth Nussbaum, a volume of sermons, speeches and essay of Rabbi Max Nussbaum: Max Nussbaum: From Berlin to Hollywood, A Mid-Century Vision of Jewish Life (Nussbaum served at Temple Israel of Hollywood from 1943-1974 and was a renowned Reform and Zionist leader in the Los Angeles community).