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I grew up in a Southern Baptist family. I was very religious, even from an early age. I went to church every s7nday and Wednesday.
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Having grown up in Oklahoma I had never met a Jew or learned about Judaism. At a Christian conference in December 2004 I learn that Jesus was Jewish and came to the understanding that I should be jewish as a Christian. I began studying Judaism intensely starting at 15 years of age.
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After two and a half years in bible school in Kansas City I started to be drawn to learning Torah and study Judaism again. I started attending messianic churches and semi led a shabbos afternoon Torah study group. I would end up spending 9 months in messianic “Judaism” before starting the conversion process.
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I spent nearly 4 years in the process of conversion. I wanted an orthodox conversion, for various reasons, and the process with the Israeli rabbinate is long and complex. I finally finished in 2015!
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After seeing how a friend and her 14 year old trans daughter were rudely kicked out of the only orthodox shul in Kansas City I started my journey towards becoming an orthodox rabbi to make change and space for being to be themselves within the religious structure I had come to love since I was 15.
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I switched uni majors as a result of wanting to be a rabbi. I switched from accounting to Jewish studies and learned at Hebrew U in Jerusalem for a year abroad.
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With the challenges of acceptance to an Orthodox yeshiva I applied to Hebrew College Rabbinical School in order to continue my learning and work towards my ultimate goal. I was fortunate to return to my favorite city- Jerusalem. I learned at the Conservative yeshiva and returned to learning at Pardes, I had learned there in the spring of 2017 with Rav Meir and Rav Mike.
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During my year in HCRS in Jerusalem I came across an opportunity for orthodox Smicha with Rabbi Daniel Landes. I switched tracks in Hebrew College to the educators track and continued learning at Pardes. In addition to Pardes and Hebrew College I have learned at Yashrut in their Classic Talmud program and am beginning my second year of learning there. I may be continuing learning with Rav Landes for smicha in the future.
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Since the winter of 2015 I have had on going conversations with rebbeim of YCT about acceptance of openly gay students. At first I was told that there was no way I could be orthodox and just go to jts. This perspective remained the reply I received yearly until last year. I was able to sit with the Rosh HaYeshiva and explain my ideas. It is very possible that an arrangement will be worked out for me to start YCT next fall.
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