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I was born in Chicago to David and Laurie who were both raised in Ashkenazi families. My mom's upbringing was Classical Reform and my dad's was slightly more interesting
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Zev and I met at Gan Shalom Pre-School and have been best friends since. Our Jewish journies have been parallel in many ways and we've been helpful in each other's Jewish growth
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I attended Jewish day school at Anshe Emet, a Conservative Day school in Chicago. Anshe Emet was formative in helping me form the basis of a love of Judaism. At the same time, my experience as a student at Anshe Emet led to many of my complicated feelings with Judaism as a kid (mostly rooted in learning challenges, and confusion about gender identity)
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My family joined a Havura called Training Wheels. We met once a month of Friday nights to light candles and have Shabbat dinner. After dinner, the kids would play and often watch TV while the parents listened to music. Judaism was deeply rooted in culture. It was my first exposure to Jewish community.
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In 4th Grade, my parents made the difficult decision for me to switch to a school specifically designed for students with learning disabilities. My challenges with Hebrew were beginning to impact my relationship with my Jewish identity and cause resentment. When I switched to Hyde Park, it was the first time I engaged with students who were not Jewish and I began to embrace the ways that Judaism made me unique (i.e matzo during Passover, missing school on Chagim)
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I became involved with a Jewish school for students with developmental disabilities. This experience was transformational for me. It laid the foundation for my commitment to justice, love of education, and framework for my theology of God.
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This was both an experience of growth and trauma. I don't remember this day particularly fondly, but I think it inspired my desire to work with middle school students.
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Went to Israel with my family for two weeks.
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In 8th Grade, I went back to Day School to finish Middle School there. I was still feeling disconnected from my Jewish identity but loved taking Jewish history. This perhaps inspired a future love of Jewish history
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The trajectory of my Jewish growth changed completely when I started public high school and my mom demanded that I do "something Jewish." On a fluke, I met a representative from BBYO who shared with me that they wanted to start a chapter in Chicago. BBYO helped me discover that Judaism could be a laboratory for exploring myself and building a Judaism that worked for me. I fell in love with Jewish leadership and saw myself as a leader for the first time.
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CLTC is BBYO's summer leadership camp geared towards freshman and sophomores in high school. This experience allowed me to really take ownership of creating specifically Jewish experiences for others. I realized that I enjoyed creating alternative prayer experiences for others and perhaps even connected to God while doing so.
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Participated in a 3-week Jewish leadership camp for BBYO. Thought critically about God and philosophy for the first time. I had a queer counselor who was a rabbinical student. I was mesmerized by her and wanted to discuss everything with her. Little would I know that she would later become a mentor after I came out.
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I Visited Poland with my family. This trip inspired me to think about my legacy through the lens of the Holocaust in a deep way. When I returned home, I was inspired to create a March of the Living type program in Chicago for teens.
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Inspired by my volunteering at Keshet and a sense of competency and self-worth, I ran for Regional Sh'licha for BBYO. This was the board member responsible for holding Jewish and justice experiences for the BBYO region. I originally ran because of a commitment to justice, but this experience helped me discover that Judaism was my passion, but it was repressed.
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On this campaign, I discovered local politics and decided that I wanted to spend my life working in politics.
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I often describe these four year of my Torah being on fire. Living in DC, I quickly found ways to integrate my passion for justice and politics with my Jewish identity. Hillel provided a space for me to continue leading services and learn more ways to lead for more students. I saw myself as a leader within the Jewish community in a real way. I even understood that Judaism was an inherently political faith.
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Coming out was the crash to everything that I understood, but was also the thing that led me to Rabbinical School. Through prayer, I discovered that I was queer and realized that by coming out as queer I was coming out as a more committed and intentional Jew.
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This was a weekly queer Jewish learning space that was formative in helping me discover myself as a queer person. I often brought texts to learn and this was my first real exposure to learning and teaching texts and Jewish ritual.
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I discovered the local Conservative Shul. I would walk to shul every week and I began to have a Shabbat practice and daily davening practice.
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Interning for NCJW solidified my desire to be a Rabbi. I was moved by the way that faith communities showed up in the justice movements
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One of my coworkers at NCJW informed me of this new movement starting up to fight the Occupation. Since INN has become an important spiritual and political home
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After graduating, the summer before starting Rabbinical School I returned to CLTC as a Jewish educator. This experience was one of the most profound Jewish experiences I've ever had. I realized that I loved teaching and wanted to spend my life explore issues of identity, theology, and justice with teens. I've returned to CLTC in this role every summer since that year (except for this year :()
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Moved to LA to start school at Ziegler. I spent 2 years at Ziegler and found my chevre. My cohort was incredibly close and they are still my rabbis and community. At Ziegler, I discovered an interest in philosophy and teaching Torah through a justice lens.
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Ikar is my spiritual home. I found mentors, role models, and my Shabbat community.
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This year-long Fellowship helped me explore pluralism and examine the tangible ways that my Judaism and commitment to justice could connect
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