-
Birth
I was born on erev Shabbat in Philadelphia, PA. -
Brit Millah
-
Learning Aleph-Bet
Having learned and interacted with the aleph-bet as a child and adolescent proved more formative in my Jewish identity than I could have known at the time. Years later as an adult, I felt a certian recourse to engage with Judaism and Jewish life in part becuause core components of it were a part of my earliest memories. As a side note: I'm a believer in language being one of the defining features of our humanity. -
Parent's divorce
This a sensitive issue and the way it fits into my timeline of Jewish growth is perhaps paradoxical in nature. Ideally, Jewish family life is not meant to rupture in such a way, and when it does, it takes a little while to put the pieces together. -
Bar Mitzvah (parashat VaYira)
-
Leaves New Jersey for Ithaca, New York
In Ithaca, New York I studied, loved, worked and made art and photographs. I opened up to the world in ways that were quite formative. -
Moves to Portland, Oregon
My jounrey in Jewish growth has been a bit migraotry in nature, with the intention for seeking roots in fertile soil. -
France during Christmas
I learned something very important about family life while sharing meals with my friends in France. In a non-Jewish environment I found something I had not had all that often growing up. I decided I wanted to make a change and take sharing mealls in the company of others at a table as a life affirming actiivity. It continues to be one of the great joys of Shabbat: sharing meals. -
Cousin's Bar Mitzvah (Chicago)
Attending my cousin's Bar Mitzvah came on the heels of my making the decision to travel to Israel. -
Travels in Israel
Travelling in Israel allowed me to see sides of Jewish life I had never encountered before. The experiences changed my life in that I had new experieces to choose to engage Judaism and Jewish life from. -
Portland State University
Returning to university to complete my B.A. after my travels in Israel, I emphasized in Jewish studies and Hebrew. -
Teaching Judaism and tutoring Hebrew
Having studied and developed the skills to teach others, I took two positions tutoring modern Hebrew at my university and teaching Judaism to fourth graders. The work was most fulfilling and the experiences allowed me to feel education as a calling. -
Acceptance to Pardes educator's program
I am proud to be a part of cohort 16 of the Pardes Educator's Program and I look forward to more things than I can know about in this moment.