Why are you a Jewish educator?
I believe Jewish wisdom and community are an incredible source of meaning and I want to provide access to as many people as possible. Also I believe people need to see educators who look like them and I am proud to be a queer woman who bring her full self to her teaching. Also I love learning from my students.
When have you sojourned?
No matter where I am I bring a sense of home with me, I have lived many places, traveled all over the world, but as soon as I build a connection and especially after I host a shabbat dinner, I am home.
What is/are your own community/communities like?
Loving and welcoming and accepting with lots of food. These days my three year old daughter starts all gatherings in our home with everyone sharing names, pronouns and something you love. She wants to hear every answer and people are excited to share.
What does becoming a Jew mean to you?
Striving to be strike the balance between pushing for change in the broken world around us (Yisrael- wrestling with God) and feeling grateful for all that I have (Yehudah- thanks).
Three people you’d like to invite to Shabbat lunch, and what you’d like to talk about together.
My three grandparents that I never knew (my dad’s dad died before I was born and both my grandmothers died when I was two)- I would want to share all about my life and ask about theirs and hope that they are proud of the person I am. I imagine the iphone pics of my kids might shock them even more than the fact I am a rabbi and I have a wife? Lets’ hope!
