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4th Grade in Temple Beth Israel's Talmud Torah
As the story goes, I began asking about God and so my intermarried parents reached out to the local synagogue. After meeting with the Rabbi of our then Reform, now Reconstructionist, temple in Eugene, Oregon, I enrolled Sunday school at the age of ten. I started to learn to read Hebrew working with a high school student, CJ, who I'll always remember, and I instantly fell in love with going to Hebrew school. I think I might have been the only one who looked forward to it each week. -
My Bat Mitzvah
After four stimulating years in Hebrew school and B'Nei Mitzvah tutoring, I had my Bat Mitzvah on a hot summer day in our small temple. Many relatives came from far including from my Jewish mom's side my grandparents, uncle, aunt and cousin, great aunt and uncle, and from my non-Jewish dad's side my grandmother and two aunts. Something I will never forget was when my great aunt Vivian read from the Torah. Plus this was during my lavender stage so my tallit is a lovely soft lavender. -
Began Tutoring B'Nei Mitzvah Students
Although strange, I started tutoing B'Nei Mitzvah students the very next year, working with one student at a time from eighth grade through the end of high school. This led to also working as an assistant in the Hebrew school for three years. -
3 Weeks at Camp Tel Yehudah
After getting involved at the start of 8th grade with Young Judaea locally and attending a few conventions, I went to Camp Tel Yehudah. Although it was challenging socially since I had joined YJ at an older age, my time at TY allowed me the opportunity to go to Israel the following year with Machon... -
First Visit to Israel
Impossible to put into words how these six weeks in Israel influenced my Jewish growth... simply amazing. -
Sociology of Amer. Jewish Community
In this course I learned about Jewish communal service work as a profession and specifically about outreach work to intermarried and unaffiliated families. This sparked my interest in a Masters of Jewish Communal Service and Social Work, which in the end I did not pursue... -
My Father's Diagnosis
My parents called me one December evening, just before first semester finals, and shared with me that my father had been diagnosed with Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. -
Graduation from Brandeis University with Bachelors of Near Eastern & Judaic Studies
After realizing Judaics Studies would be my area of study for college, I spent four challenging and satisfying years at Brandeis. Incredible intellectual and social growth during this time. -
Hello Eugene!
I moved home after graduation, began working with my father's wine distribution company, at a local winery and returned to leading programming at the Boys & Girls Club, where I had volunteered in high school and worked summers throughout college. -
Passing of my Dad
After nearly two years of battling cancer my dad passed away. Of course this entire time period effected me greatly, but specifically this life cycle event of his passing and the Jewish rituals I participated in influenced my Jewish growth. -
Taglit Birthright
Soon after the passing of my dad I decided to apply for Taglit and return to Israel. My father loved sunflowers during his illness, they brightened his day... The first time I saw a field full of sunflowers on this trip, I entered into a different stage of mourning and it truly effected me and my relationship with the land of Israel. -
Employee at Temple Beth Israel
First real "Jewish" job! Using my college degree! I returned to where it all began and worked in my temple's Hebrew school as the admin. assitent, B'Nei Mitzvah tutor of many students and teacher of many grades in the school and adult education Hebrew classes. -
First Hevruta Experience
Through a program I signed up for while on Taglit, Jewniverse, I was matched with a hevruta for phone Torah learning. Little did I know I was being introduced to Orthodoxy through our relationship, the learning and its result in another visit to Israel sponsored by Aish HaTorah. -
JEWEL: Women's Learning in Israel
Little did I know that three weeks in Ramat Eshkol, Jerusalem would rock my Jewish world, dramatically influencing how I saw my Jewish identity, religious observance and Israel. Also on this visit I had my first visit to my cousins in Efrat, and therefore first experience in Gush Etziyon. Also first wine tasting in Israel on this trip- very formative Zionist Jewish growth! -
Pardes Educators Program
Arrived for the summer program to prepare for PEP and formally begin my career as a Jewish educator. What a journey its been so far! -
Began Mentorship Relationship with Aviva
During my 1st yr at Pardes I struggled with the tension between Tree of Knowledge's restrictions / "closed" aspects & Tree of Life's expanisveness / "opening" aspects. My mentorship relationship with my teaching coach Aviva provided me space to authentically grapple with this tension, while honoring my integrity and identity as a Jew & educator. Aviva honestly shares her struggles with this tension and continues to support my learning/questioning, which makes her an ideal teacher in my mind.
