Rabbi Michael Singer is a 'foodie' and is commonly asked about good passover meals. (Richard Graulich / The Post)

The Dish video: Matzo ball soup, made by the chef at David’s East Side Deli

Many Jews look to their rabbis for sage advice. But the congregants in Rabbi Michael Singer’s synagogue also look to him for a good recipe for General Tso’s Chicken.

"I’m a foodie," said Singer, who’s the rabbi at Temple Beth David in Palm Beach Gardens.

In Singer’s case, that love of all things gourmet has translated into a variety of synagogue programs, from a "Welcome Back" barbecue he hosts in the late summer to a series of cooking classes he conducts throughout the year.

And with Passover just around the corner — the eight-day holiday that commemorates the Jewish exodus from Egypt begins on Monday night — that also means more than a few congregants are bound to be asking Singer for his holiday brisket recipe.

But Singer is far from the only Jewish religious leader, locally or otherwise, with an affinity for food and faith. Consider Rabbi Anthony Fratello of Temple Shaarei Shalom in Boynton Beach. He’s such a wiz in the kitchen that at temple fund-raisers, his synagogue auctions off the opportunity to have him prepare dinner in a congregant’s home. Or consider Rabbi Shlomo Ezagui of Chabad House in North Palm Beach: His passion for Jewish deli — think pastrami and pickles — is such that he and his wife, Chani, opened their own restaurant, David’s East Side Deli, in Palm Beach Gardens.

And there’s perhaps the most famous rabbi-chef of them all: Rabbi Gil Marks, a New York-based culinary personality whose cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning Olive Trees and Honey, have won him fans around the world.

"To Jews, food is much more than just a form of nourishment or enjoyment," said Marks in a 2001 interview.

Rabbi Anthony Fratello, who mixes many influences into his cooking. (Brandon Kruse / The Post)

Certainly, the Passover celebration, built around an elaborate feast (or seder) in which symbolic foods like matzo (an unleavened bread) are served and the story of the exodus is told, speaks to that. And it’s perhaps why so many rabbis see a place for themselves in the kitchen. Food almost becomes a form of prayer.

"For every life-cycle event, there’s an actual commandment to prepare a meal," said Singer .

Food is also a way to bring people together. And since rabbis must create opportunities for their congregants to meet one another, why not do it over a meal?

"It’s to reinforce the notion that we’re not alone in the world," said Fratello .

So, how does a rabbi become a good cook? The same way anyone does — by watching others and learning through trial and error.

In Fratello’s case, his appreciation for food started at a young age. Born to a Jewish mother and an Italian father (who later converted to Judaism), he got exposed to many culinary cultures. From his father’s side, he learned how to make a mean bracciole (a rolled meat dish). From his mother’s, he learned how to prepare the perfect matzo ball soup.

"I got a little of everything," Fratello explained.

Similarly, Singer credits a diverse family background — Central and Northern European, primarily — with shaping his foodie perspective. But he also doesn’t discount the role of popular culture: Yes, even future rabbis learn a lesson or two from Julia Child.

Or, in Singer’s case, from Chinese chef and television personality Martin Yan.

"Yan Can Cook was my childhood entertainment," said Rabbi Singer of the once-popular public-television culinary program. (And for the record, the rabbi does keep kosher — so he makes the appropriate substitutions in dishes that call for pork or shellfish.)

In the end, being a rabbi with a flair for food is not much different than being any sort of non-culinary professional who also enjoys spending time in the kitchen. Both Fratello and Singer say they relish doing some or all of the cooking at home, whether it’s making lunch for their kids or making a holiday meal for their extended family.

The real difference perhaps is that a rabbi’s true extended family includes his or her congregation. So, if a rabbi takes on the task of preparing a meal at the synagogue, it can mean feeding dozens of folks.

Singer has also been known to involve his congregants in the process: A recent temple event had him teaching sushi-making to his synagogue’s religious school. And he’s already working on a similarly interactive Passover program.

"We’re getting the kids to make matzo," he said.

Rabbi Michael Singer says this brisket is a must-have at the Passover seders he hosts:

‘Raised/Braised from Bondage’ Passover Brisket

1 first cut (or second cut) brisket (usually 3¼ to 4 pounds; adjust other ingredient amounts to the cut and size of the brisket)

1 box kosher-for-Passover onion soup mix (2 packets)

3 cups of fresh sliced mushrooms

2¼ cups sweet kosher-for-Passover red wine (one you like to drink)

Ground black pepper

Fresh rosemary

Place large pot on the stove and heat up until a splash of water will sizzle. After washing the brisket, coat thoroughly with fresh black pepper on the top and bottom. (Salt need not be added since kosher meat is already soaked and salted and the onion soup mix contains salt.)

Sear the brisket over high heat in the pot on all sides until a brown crust forms, locking in the juices. (Use tongs — do not poke) Remove brisket from the pot and deglaze pot with one-half cup of sweet red wine. Reduce heat to medium low.

Add minced rosemary and first onion soup packet. Stir until completely dissolved (slowly add a little water if necessary). Add brisket and mushrooms on top.

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of wine with the second onion soup packet and add to pot. Before covering, add a little water to ensure the brisket and mushrooms are almost covered and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low for 1 hour and then flip the brisket (with tongs) and cook for another 1 hour on low, keeping it covered.

Depending on thickness of cut, continue to cook 30 minutes or more, if necessary — until the brisket is fork tender and dark brown in color all the way through, and has reduced in size. The key to cooking this dish is low and slow.

Note: Adding more water and stirring the mushrooms as you go is better than having the sauce, mushrooms or brisket burn, but try not to add too much water or the meat’s own flavor will be diluted and cooking time will be longer. Don’t fiddle with it too much, or you will let the liquid out in the form of steam. As the saying goes, "Good things come to those who wait."

When done, remove the brisket from the pot and let it rest for about five minutes. Stir the sauce, adding additional liquid if necessary until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Slice the brisket against the grain, add it back to the sauce. Serve immediately, or, for more flavor, refrigerate it and reheat it the next day.

Singer’s take on this Passover breakfast favorite is to keep things as simple as possible. He notes that the recipe can be tweaked based on the number of people you’re feeding and the size of the pan you’re using.

Classic Matzo Brei

2 full pieces of matzo

4 eggs

Black pepper (to taste)

Salted butter (amount varies depending on pan)

2 tablespoons (approximately) milk

Salt (to taste)

Onions (optional)

Use warm water to soak matzo until soft but not mushy. Break matzo apart. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, black pepper and milk (use enough milk to lighten the eggs, but not so much that they become watery). Whisk. Add broken soft matzo to bowl and stir. Coat a pan over medium heat with butter. (The butter adds a lot of flavor, so use liberally.) Add mixture and slowly turn up the heat. Flip when golden brown on one side. Remove and add salt if desired. Option: Sauté diced onions in butter and add to the mixture when you add the matzo.

From Rabbi Anthony Fratello of Temple Shaarei Shalom, Boynton Beach:

Sephardic Charoset

Charoset is a fruit paste served at the Passover seder. (It’s meant to symbolize the mortar Jewish slaves used to build the pyramids in Egypt.) Sephardic Jews hail originally from Spain and their recipes reflect many exotic influences.

1 cup seedless raisins

1 cup prunes

1 cup dried apricots

1 pound pitted dates

1 orange, peeled and pitted

1 apple, peeled and cored

2 tablespoons Passover wine

Soak the dried fruit in hot water for 30 minutes, or until it’s softened. In a food processor, combine all the ingredients to make a thick paste.

Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Yields: about 4 cups