Rabbis 2015
For 20 years, Rabbi Laura Geller has encouraged congregants to discover holiness in their lives, and to fulfill Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills’ mission statement, which reads: “We honor each individual’s unique Jewish journey at every stage of life.” Recently she led the congregation and the wider L.A. Jewish community to honor a new stage…
Rabbi Avi Winokur has been a leader in many ways. He is warm and welcoming, but also insightful. His combination of intelligence and passion has brought many new and diverse members to our synagogue. Rabbi Winokur has a son who struggles with very serious health conditions. Watching the grace with which Rabbi Winokur handles this…
I completed a two-year chant leadership program called Kol Zimra with Rabbi Shefa Gold in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her unique style allowed me to connect with Hashem (God) and the divine essence within myself. Through repetition of sacred text, chanting took me to a place where I could reframe and recontextualize my life’s experiences so…
Though Rabbi David Joel Wolpe’s community comes together through social media, he inspires 55,125 Facebook followers six days a week with his insightful comments on Shabbos, Torah, life, and our relationship with God, His world, and each other. I have shared so many of Rabbi Wolpe’s thoughts with my own Facebook friends that many of…
Rabbi Samuel Gordon has made a difference and enriched our community through providing spiritual and personal guidance, provocation and inspiration, and serving as the still point in a turning world. For many years, Congregation Sukkat Shalom did not have its own building in which to conduct worship services or to gather. Instead, congregants were truly…
In just 20 months, Rabbi Eric Woodward has made a powerful impact on Jewish Columbus, Ohio, both communally and individually. From the start, Rabbi Woodward was eager to work with people whose spouses are not Jewish, people who are themselves considering conversion, or whose children have intermarried — people who sometimes struggle to feel comfortable…
Inclusive. Sure, I could say “inspirational,” because she is that, but I was looking for one word to define Rabbi Lisa Grushcow — and that word is “inclusive.” As a newly disabled Jewish woman, I have noticed that most people dismiss the disabled. Rabbi Grushcow made sure that there was a visible ramp in front…
As Temple B’nai Sholom’s sole full-time employee, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar is an administrator, spiritual leader, teacher, event planner, media spokesperson, and parent. With that many hats, there’s barely room for a kippah, yet she’s also a leader in the wider community. “Welcoming the stranger” sounds easy in principle; it’s a lot more difficult when many…
I served with Rabbi Leslie Gutterman first as cantorial soloist, and later, as ordained cantor. He was my first and most profoundly influential mentor, and I know that other rabbis and cantors who served with “Rabbi Les” would make this same claim. His remarkable capacity for kindness, patience, humor, insight and true menschlichkeit make Rabbi…
Rabbi Evan Jaffe gives a voice to those who go ignored or have been abandoned. Flemington Jewish Community Center’s humble spiritual leader is a champion of compassion and justice for all. In March, he will be recognized by Volunteer Guardianship One-on-One, Inc. for his work with people with dementia and for mentoring new caretakers. He…
Greensboro, North Carolina has one of the most vibrant Southern Jewish communities — because of Rabbi Fred Guttman. My adult children, mentored by him, have rock-solid Jewish identities despite a Bible Belt rearing. He is rabbi to our entire community, leading interfaith events, taking clergy to Israel, and holding forums on expanding Medicaid. His leadership…
