About Me
My Jewish journey began when I was eight years old and I became obsessed with Hanukkah. It wasn’t the extra presents. I was really taken with the story of a small group of people standing up for what they knew was right. I had found instructions in a children’s magazine about how to build my own Hanukkah menorah, so I went out to the garage, where I had full access to all the tools, sliced off a length of 2x4, and pounded 9 corrugated carpentry nails through it, thus producing a rather menacing menorah. I located our emergency candles - thick, short votives left over from the years in Alaska where the power could be counted on to go out multiple times a year. I jammed a couple of those candles onto the nails, set the whole thing up in the kitchen, and waited for dusk to light my menorah.
At a fairly young age I became painfully aware of the brokenness in the world. The minute I was aware, it became intolerable that I couldn't heal all of it immediately.
For years, I couldn’t explain the pull that I felt towards a Jewish life.
I was raised an atheist, how could I be interested in a religion?
I was (and am) a feminist, how could I be interested in a patriarchal religion?
When I finally began to study I discovered:
A rich spiritual tradition designed to support me through impossibly difficult times
An intense intellectual tradition designed to teach me to think, and to debate
A complex cultural tradition designed to interact with majority culture while maintaining a distinct sense of group solidarity and purpose across time and space
This is how I understand the gift that Judaism offers.
The brokenness in our world can feel enormous.
Engagement with Jewish traditions can help to heal the brokenness.
Education
MA in Rabbinic Literature and Rabbinic Ordination
Academy for Jewish Religion, CA
Thesis: Queer Theory and the Construction of Jewish Identity
MA in Jewish Sacred Music and Cantorial Ordination
Academy for Jewish Religion, CA
Thesis: S. An-sky and Ethnography in the Pale: Music and the Creation of Jewish Personal and National Identity
BA in Social Anthropology
San Diego State University
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Some of the ways that I can show up for you!
Adult Learning
Impactful Jewish Learning
Work with me individually or in small-groups to study such topics as:
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Biblical Hebrew
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Chanting Torah, Haftarah, Esther, or Eikha
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Leading traditional prayer
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Innovation in Jewish prayer
Holiday Leadership
Rabbinic & Cantorial High Holiday Leadership
Traditional or creative programming, inspiring sermons, thoughtful learning, & heartfelt prayer.
I will work with your community to produce a truly meaningful holiday experience.
B-Mitzvah Options
Build a unique transition to Jewish adulthood!
I specialize in designing & training for Bar/Bat/B'nei Mitzvah experiences that honor your child's full self, especially for gender nonconforming or neurodivergent students.
Examples:
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Hiking/Touring in Israel
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Volunteering
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Creative services in unique locations
