Many rabbinic stories are born from powerful childhood Jewish experiences.  My rabbinic story is born from being denied those experiences. When I was twelve and ready to become a Bat Mitzvah, my synagogue turned its back on me because of my family’s financial hardship. It was painful and embarrassing; not surprisingly, I left organized Judaism with a bitter taste and no celebration.

In my first year of college, very reluctantly, I met with a rabbi once again. When he discovered my passion for social justice, he arranged for me to attend a Hillel conference. It was a life-altering experience. Until that rabbi took the time to know me, reopening a door that felt firmly closed since my teenage years, I had not realized the close alignment of my values with Judaism. Over the next decade, Judaism seamlessly integrated into my life. The spark I had felt as a child was reignited. Most importantly, my college rabbi showed me my own value to Judaism and the Jewish people as well as the many ways Jewish values enriched my life.

Ten years later, as a Jewish day school teacher, I sat across from a frustrated seventh grader struggling with his Bar Mitzvah preparation. He wondered why he was working so hard: “I just do not get why I have to learn these prayers; they don’t mean anything to me.” When I asked him what he found meaningful, without hesitation, he answered sports. We looked up quotes from his favorite sports heroes and matched their themes to specific prayers; he ended up writing his own prayer book. He saw the connection between what he valued and what Judaism teaches, as I had in college. Our combined learning experience confirmed for me the path I had been contemplating: I applied to rabbinical school that same year. 

In the time since I reconnected to institutional Judaism, I have deepened my study of Jewish text and tradition, spent significant time in Israel, earned an MA in Jewish education, and mindfully integrated Judaism into my life. My own experience leads me to look for ways to inspire people’s organic discovery of Judaism and to connect Jews to the values of our tradition. I believe that finding a personal connection emboldens people to create lasting and committed relationships within the community. I also believe that Judaism is alive and relevant; the values developed by Jewish tradition are universal and remain pertinent to our lives today. I see this connection over and over again—with a group of teens in Washington, D.C., using their Jewish learning to lobby for their rights, with a group of students volunteering at a teen shelter incorporating our social justice Sukkot curriculum, with adults reclaiming their own learning in adult B’nai Mitzvah training. By encouraging people to make their engagement in the Jewish community an intrinsic part of their lives, I hope Judaism becomes interconnected in their daily experiences. 

In order to create or sustain a positive relationship to Judaism, people need to feel heard and understood. In all my encounters—internships, student congregation, hospital chaplaincy—I have been reminded how crucial it is to listen to people’s interests and build deep relationships. I want to empower people to seek these connections and help others to see the relevance of Judaism in their lives.

Part of that connectivity comes from our tradition. I love Jewish text; I know Torah can inspire the kind of Jewish engagement that brings Jews together across generations. Jewish community comes with the gift of a textual tradition that—when creatively but authentically read—has an answer for virtually any question. One woman whom I prepared for conversion used our study of the book of Ruth to explain to the beit din why she was converting to Judaism in Billings, Montana; the question seemed poignant because of specific threats against the Jewish community in a different part of the state. “My lot is with your lot now,” she said, referencing the biblical Ruth’s words to Naomi. She brought that text to life in a way I could never have imagined. I encourage people to learn by finding the bridge they need to access a deeper grasp of Jewish text and tradition; in turn, they teach me and reaffirm my own commitment to Judaism. Innovation can and should work hand in hand with Jewish literacy as a way to broaden people’s understanding of the impact of Jewish values on and in one’s life. My rabbinate will motivate people to have complex conversations in order to allow the space for creativity and reflection in the way Judaism influences their lives.

I discovered the power of having a rabbi truly hear me. I feel every day how Jewish teachings and morals enrich and illuminate my life. I have seen the potential for Jewish education to be transformative, and I look forward to using my rabbinate to infuse connections to Jewish principles and teachings throughout the community.