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Baptized - Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
I was raised in an open-minded Presbyterian Church. While this clearly wasn't formal Jewish education, the church taught me so much about the imporance of questioning and challenging the status quo - values that permiate Jewish thought and practice -
Catholic High School Teacher: Paul Kramschuster
Mr. Kramschuster was my religion teacher at Notre Dame de Sion High School, an all-girls, Catholic high school. He taught me about the integration of religious education with work in the world for social justice and equality. His classes included Bioethics, Peace & Justice, and the Catholic Worker Movement. The fact that his passion for seeking justice in the world was so deeply rooted in religious motivations inspired me to think about how religion can be used for positive social change. -
Amy-Jill Levin @ WJC
Amy Jill Levine is a Jewish woman and scholar of the New Testament. She speaks about Jesus' Judaism, and she was my first introduction to the academic side of Judaism. From then on, I was hooked. -
Graduated William Jewell College
College was incredibly formative for me. I studied Religion, Philosophy, and Gender Studies & Human Sexuality. There I learned to think critically, challenge assumptions, and find my voice. -
Began Introduction to Judaism Course
At Yale's Hillel, I began an introduction to Judaism course that began out of intellectual curiosity & ended up sending me down a long path of Jewish education (and 2 conversions!) -
Summer Ulpan in Israel
I spent a summer at ulpan at Hebrew university in Jerusalem. This began my study of Hebrew, and it was my first time in Israel. While I was still not officically Jewish at the time of my trip, it was an incredibly powerful experince to be there and to see it with my own eyes. -
Beit Din #1
My first conversion was a Conservation one, with a beit din of three women. It was an incredible powerful experience and the culmination of two years of study. It was transformative in many ways. -
Wexner Graduate Fellowship
Being selected as a Wexner Fellow solidified my confidence in my Jewish idenity and affirmed my calling to Jewish professional leadership. The four-year fellowship has been an incredible place of growth for me as a learner, an educator, and a professional. -
Graduated Yale Divinity School (MDiv)
I went to divinity school somewhat by mistake (I didn't really think much about the decision at the time, but went because of a scholarship I received). However, my three years there bought me a lot of time for introspection, professional development, and to live into my Jewish identity. -
Began Rabbinical School @ Hebrew College
Studying at Hebrew College has been inspiration, challenging, and satisfying. The pluralistic approach to Jewish learning and communal life is compelling, and I am constantly learning more about how to be a student and teacher of Jewish tradition. -
Beit Din #2
I underwent an Orthodox conversion while at the beginning of my 2nd year of rabbinical school. It was somewhat ironic to be going through this process in a denomination that won't recognize my ultimate ordination, but there were many personal reasons that led to this decision, including my involvement in the Orthodox world.
