Rabbi Valerie Lieber is a constant source of new ideas and fun. She takes Hebrew school students all over to bring Jewish history and values alive. My kids have volunteered at soup kitchens and collected tzedakah outside Trader Joe’s. Rabbi Val was instrumental in combining three junior services with the main congregational service. Now old and young mingle at our “sustainable Kiddush.” Rabbi Val is passionate about respecting the earth. She procured a grant from Hazon’s Jewish Greening Fellowship to found our Green Team. She also created a partnership with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy and led us on cleanups. Under her leadership, we installed energy efficient lights in our historic sanctuary. A leader who balances thinking and action, Rabbi Val gets it done while inspiring everyone around her to pitch in, too.

— Ariel Krasnow

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount