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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism
Rabbi Ellen Lippmann
“When I sought out a synagogue at which to convert to Judaism, I went through a number before I found Kolot Chayeinu. Built on Rabbi Lippmann’s dream of a coffeehouse and the understanding that doubt can be an act of faith, I immediately felt at home. But it was when I actually heard her speak…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Brent Spodek
“I first met Rabbi Brent Spodek in 2010, about a year before he became the rabbi of Beacon Hebrew Alliance. As a recent arrival to our town, he was soon awakening a dormant but spiritually hungry community of Jewish children and adults with his monthly Shabbat sing-alongs, contemplative hikes and Talmudic study groups in his…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Michael Balinsky
“As my Hillel rabbi at Northwestern University, Rabbi Balinsky showed me that it was possible to guide young people toward Jewish observance with a sense of tolerance, openness and patience. He was sensitive to the fact that college students endure many ups and downs, and he approached each student with a proper mix of honesty…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Asher Z. Lopatin
“Rabbi Lopatin is an intellectual, but his legacy is in what he accomplished on the ground: building a warm and growing community, a mikvah, a community day school and a non-profit kosher restaurant; bringing a female clergy member on staff; collaborating with rabbis from other denominations; speaking against worker abuse, and building relations with the…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Shira Stutman
“The congregation Rabbi Shira built at Sixth & I is large, thriving, innovative and almost entirely filled with Jews in their 20s and 30s. She’s the EXACT right rabbi at the exact right time, making a home for young Jews that is both intellectually and theologically challenging while also being contemporary and popular. Also, she…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Bradd Boxman
“During the six years Bradd was in town, my wife grew close to her faith and had her bat mitzvah at the age of 50. Bradd taught her and presided at the event. I couldn’t be more proud. There is another way he made a difference. I am a practicing attorney with a full-time job….
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Janet Marder
“Rabbi Janet Marder’s work with interfaith couples is truly inspirational. I will never forget her High Holiday thank you and hug on the bimah to our non-Jewish spouses several years ago. She has similarly reached out to our LGBT community, ex-Soviet émigrés, Israelis, veterans and people with disabilities. Recognizing that participation is critical, and that…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky
“Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky’s energy and motivation have created a community committed to the beauty of traditional Judaism. Originally numbering hardly a minyan of individuals, today it’s not unusual to find 60 or 70 at a community function. The rabbi’s followers come from a wide range of backgrounds and represent points of view that can be…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Valerie Cohen
“Upon moving to Jackson last June, I was expecting to find a dearth of Jewish life and Jewish learning. Instead, I found the complete opposite: a weekly Talmud class; a weekly Torah study; Reform-style Friday night services; Conservative-style Saturday morning services, and diverse events and speakers almost every Shabbat — supported and organized by Rabbi…
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36 Rabbis Shaping 21st-Century Judaism Rabbi Juan Mejía
“I am the religious leader of a small Jewish community in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Our group has for many years consisted of American expats. Several years ago, a few Mexican nationals began coming to our Shabbat services, wanting to reclaim what they felt to be a Jewish heritage. These “B’naiAnusim” — many from…
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A Pilgrimage to Philip Roth’s Hometown
Philip Roth?s boyhood house is ugly. It?s a three-story home in the Newark, N.J., neighborhood of Weequahic, just a couple of blocks from the local high school. The siding on the upper stories is a greenish yellow. Unlit Christmas lights are strung between the bars on the lower- story windows. A hefty iron gate covers…
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