Education
HEBREW UNION COLLEGE-JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION
Projected Ordination May 7, 2017
Thesis: Structure of Jewish Time
Advisors: Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, Ph.D. and Dr. Lisa Grant
MAHL, May 2016
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
BA, May 2009
Major: Psychology, concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience
Minor: Judaic Studies
Rabbinic Experience
HUC-JIR PROGRAM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (NEW YORK, NY)
INTERN, 2016-PRESENT
Founders Fellowship: Coordinate inaugural cohort and recruit the second cohort of college fellows as they create projects focused on enhancing progressive Jewish life on campus.
Assist with the planning and execution of special programs under the domain of the Program and Business Development office. For example: Symposium One, November 13-14 (huc.edu/symposium-one).
SARAH NEUMAN NURSING HOME PASTORAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE (Mamaroneck, NY)
INTERN, 2015-2016
Provided pastoral care to residents of the long-term care, acute care and dementia units.
Led weekly Shabbat services for nursing home residents and dementia unit residents. Wrote and delivered sermons approximately three times a month.
Led Jewish holiday related events for nursing home residents and dementia unit residents. For example: Sukkah building and Latke making.
HUC-JIR NATIONAL OFFICE OF RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS (NEW YORK, NY)
INTERN, 2015-2016
Welcomed and oriented prospective students to HUC-JIR New York.
Co-coordinated twice yearly open houses for prospective students.
Staffed HUC-JIR information booth at URJ Biennial in Orlando, November 2015.
TEMPLE SINAI (ATLANTA, GA)
HIGH HOLIDAY STUDENT RABBI, 2015
Wrote and led Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur morning services for K-3 and 4-6th graders.
Led Yom Kippur High School service.
Co-Led Erev Rosh HaShanah, Rosh Hashanah second day, Kol Nidre, Avodah, Yizkor and Neila services, including delivering the sermon on Rosh HaShanah second day.
COMMUNITY SYNAGOGUE OF PORT WASHINGTON (Port Washington, NY)
SUMMER RESIDENT, 2015
Shadowed rabbis and cantor and participated in related meetings. For example: B’nai Mitzvah tutoring, funeral intake meeting, pre-marital counseling, board meetings.
Served as rabbi-on-call for final Shabbat.
TEMPLE BETH HASHALOM (WILLIAMSPORT, PA)
BI-WEEKLY STUDENT RABBI, 2014-2015
Coordinated and led Shabbat and holiday Services, including delivering sermons, song leading and chanting Torah.
Taught bi-weekly adult education sessions.
Led Special Services. For example: Community Passover Seder and Holocaust Memorial Interfaith-service.
Provided pastoral care.
FORMER SOVIET UNION PASSOVER PROJECT (SIMFEROPOL, CRIMEA)
2013
Led Passover seders for over 100 people with other HUC-JIR students as part of a cultural-exchange program in cooperation with the World Union for Progressive Judaism.
Raised over $3,000.
Teaching and Youth Experience
TEMPLE SHAARAY TEFILA (NEW YORK, NY)
TEACHER, 2013-PRESENT
Teach 6th and 7th-grade four-part curriculum (Torah, Avodah, G’milut Chasadim and Holocaust) to students in regular Religious School program and MASA (Family learning program).
Tutor pre-B’nai Mitzvah students in Mitkadem, Hebrew curriculum published by Behrman House.
Write and teach in-depth Holocaust class for high school students focusing on the interplay of power and ethics.
URJ SIX POINTS SCI-TECH ACADEMY (BYFIELD, MA)
DIRECTOR OF JEWISH LIFE, SUMMERS 2015 & 2016
Ensured Jewish content in all aspects of camp, including training workshop instructors and counselors to become Jewish teachers.
Created and led Kabbalat Shabbat Visual Tefila, Shabbat morning services, and Boker Big Bang (morning ritual).
Supervised and coordinated faculty, including providing twice-weekly B’nai Mitzvah tutoring.
Worked with Assistant Director and Program Director to create all-camp programming.
HUC-JIR COLLEGE SHABBATON (NEW YORK, NY)
2016
Planned and executed educational Shabbaton for approximately 50 Northeast college students on the topic of “What is Reform Judaism,” including teaching on the connection between the scientific method and Jewish education.
MILLER HIGH SCHOOL (NEW YORK, NY)
2015-2016
Planned and taught experiential and deeper Jewish learning for high school students from the Tri-State area approximately twice a month.
CONGREGATION RODEPH SHOLOM (NEW YORK, NY)
6TH GRADE TEACHER, 2013-2014
Developed and carried-out lesson plans for Parashat ha-shavua (weekly Torah portion) curriculum.
Taught Hebrew.
URJ HENRY S. JACOBS CAMP (UTICA, MS)
CO-RELIGIOUS LIFE DIRECTOR, 2013
Created and implemented educational opportunities for all age groups.
Led daily Tefilla (worship services).
Coordinated with visiting faculty.
TEMPLE MICAH (WASHINGTON, DC)
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL TEACHER AND TUTOR, 2007-2012
Hebrew Tutor over Skype, ages 2nd Grade – Adult.
Classroom Teacher, ages toddler – adult. Curricular areas included Jewish values and culture, Hebrew, Prayer understanding through artistic modalities.
Wrote and taught 5th-7th-grade prayer curriculum.
Professional Development and Awards
HUC-JIR STUDENT ASSOCIATION CLASS REPRESENTATIVE (2014-PRESENT)
Represent fellow students and collaborate with the administration, coordinate social events.
HUC-JIR BE WISE – STUDENT JOURNAL (2016-2017)
Received grant to co-create an online journal of student material – sermons, papers, poetry, music – for public consumption.
HUC-JIR BURTON LEHMAN PRIZE FOR JEWISH LEADERSHIP (2016)
HUC-JIR /PARDES DAY SCHOOL EXTERNSHIP AT TEMPLE BETH AM IN MIAMI, FL (2016)
Week-long experiential intensive focusing on Jewish Day School – curriculum, administration, clergy roles and community building.
CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION AT HUC-JIR AND MT. SINAI HOSPITAL (2015-2016)
Learned and used skills for Pastoral care.
Clinical experience at Sarah Neuman Nursing home (see above).
HUC-JIR AARON H. AND ROSE G. COVEL MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR ACADEMIC PROGRESS (2015)
HUC-JIR BE WISE – TECHNOLOGY USE IN SYNAGOGUES (2014-2015)
Received grant to co-create yom iyyun (day of learning) for students and Jewish professionals in the area aimed at the technological enrichment in synagogues, including bringing in thought leaders from the Jewish and Christian worlds.
JOIN FOR JUSTICE CROSS-SEMINARY COMMUNITY ORGANIZING COURSE (2014)
Learned community organizing skills and methods for the sake of building deep relationships and connections with community members.
Other Experience
TEMPLE MICAH, WASHINGTON DC (2008-2012)
Served as administrator for two years. Responsibilities included overseeing day-to-day functioning and special programs of temple, managing internet communication systems including a switch to Google hosted email domain.
Co-coordinated with the 20s/30s group, Next Dor DC, including overseeing Shabbat and holiday events and increasing personal relationships and grow an internet presence.
Oversaw Temple Micah's Membership/Outreach projects for new and prospective members.
Served as Young Family Merakezet (coordinator). Responsibilities included overseeing programming for Pre-K students and families, coordinating administration and curriculum for the Kindergarten-2nd grade.
Participated in Temple Micah's re-visioning for communications and marketing strategy.
Served as assistant to Education director for one year. Responsibilities included compiling weekly newsletters to parents, overseeing day-to-day details of Religious School, coordinating Hebrew and B’nai Mitzvah tutoring schedule for 70 students.
B’NAI MITZVAH TUTOR
Teach Torah text and trope (cantillation system), prayers, assist with d’var Torah (Torah speech).
Additional Skills
High-level computer and technology skills
Intermediate guitar skills
Mezzo-Soprano voice training