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Bat Mitzvah
In November of 2022, I had a B'not Mitzvah with my sister. This was an informative moment in my Jewish life, not only because of the significance of the day and the culmination of my learning, but also because of what happened after. After my Bat Mitzvah, my family stopped attending the synagogue (which was over an hour away from our house). Like many other American Jewish stories, my Jewish education seemingly stopped after this point and wouldn't pick up again until much later. -
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BBYO
Even though I stopped attending synagogue after I became a Bat Mitzvah, I did participate in BBYO while in high school. Living in the suburbs of Tucson, I was one of five Jewish students in my high school, so BBYO was a place that I could connect culturally with other Jews around Tucson. -
My golf coach
The teacher that I think of when I think of a teacher who has inspired me is my high school golf coach (and biology teacher), Ms. Cote. Freshman year I joined the team, and I ended up playing all four years of high school (having never played golf before). She was the kind of coach who cared about us as people and never gave up on us. She always saw the potential in me that I sometimes had a hard time seeing in myself. She taught me to fake it until I make it, and always stay calm. -
Birthright Israel Trip
Attending Birthright a year after graduating undergrad was the first time I experienced what it was like to feel a part of a religious majority and feel connected to Judaism. I loved this feeling and loved learning about Judaism through being in Israel. Once I came home, I knew I wanted to go back. -
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Masa Israel Teaching Fellows
A year after my Birthright trip, I moved to Rehovot, Israel, to teach English at an elementary school in the area. During this year abroad, I traveled all over Israel, met a variety of people, and experienced Israeli culture. During this year I realized that I wanted to work in the Jewish world and build Jewish community back at home. -
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Worked at the University of Arizona Hillel
Once I came back from my year living in Israel, I started working at the University of Arizona Hillel, where I took students on Birthright trips. I loved sharing my experience and taking students on a trip that meant so much to me, and I loved fostering and embracing Jewish identity and community in each student. -
Participated in BCI (Brandeis Collegiate Institute)
While working at Hillel, I participated in BCI, where I had a Jewish experience mixed with learning, the arts, and communal living. While here, I met a few Rabbinical students from Hebrew College who shared their experiences with me. This was the place that I started thinking about becoming a Rabbi. From this experience, I learned that I wanted to build Jewish community and continue my own Jewish education. This was also the place where I met my husband! -
Moved to Boston to start Rabbinical School
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Re-Bat Mitzvah
Before moving to Boston, I had another Bat Mitzvah. A tradition of my Rabbi growing up is to have another affirmation ceremony 13 years after the first. As a 26-year-old, before I moved to start on my Rabbinic journey, I read from Torah and gave a drash in front of my friends and family. -
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Rabbinical School at Hebrew College
I came to Rabbinical school with limited formal Jewish and Hebrew education. Through my four years (so far), I have learned so much about Jewish history, texts, education, pastoral care, and most importantly, about myself as a Jew. The more I learn, the more I understand how much there is still to learn. One of the most important lessons for me comes from the Talmud, which has taught me that there is no one right way to be Jewish. -
My first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
Learning about pastoral care and providing spiritual care has been an important part of my learning. So much of this education is learning about myself, which has been an invaluable part of Rabbinical school. I am passionate about this work (especially with seniors), and since this first unit, I have continued to participate in CPE and learn in this way.