Leah Kahn

Berkeley, CA

Why are you a Jewish educator?

I am a Jewish educator because I believe the timeless wisdom of Jewish texts has something deep to offer us in our contemporary lives in every aspect of life. Not enough people know that. I want to make sure they do.

 

When have you sojourned?

I sojourned when I lived in Jerusalem for a few years to study Torah and dance in a modern dance company.

What is/are your own community/communities like?

The community I strive to be in is one that pushes me spiritually, has a deep chevreh and allows itself to be pushed by the individuals that make up its totality.

What does becoming a Jew mean to you?

Becoming a Jew means accepting a tradition that has the opportunity to amplify our lives with meaning and truth, should we allow it.

Three people you’d like to invite to Shabbat lunch, and what you’d like to talk about together.

The three people I’d have at Shabbat lunch: my maternal grandmother z”l who died on my 21st birthday, Jerome Robbins, the great American choreographer, and my father in law, who my kids never got to meet but had a doctorate in physics. We’d talk about the Parsha as a centerpiece and see where the creativity of the minds in the room would lead us.