Rabbinic Experience

Temple Beth Zion, Buffalo, NY Adjunct/Part-Time Rabbi (May 2017-March 2018);
Rabbi (July 2013- May 2017)

  • Congregational leadership
  • Director of the Jewish Spirituality Center of Western New York
    • ​leadership and volunteer management​
    • curriculum development and education for multiple classes on yoga, mindfulness, and meditation
    • strategic planning
    • individual and group spiritual direction
  • Pre-school Liaison
  • Public outreach, representation, and speaking
  • LGBTQ diversity and inclusion
    • ​​leadership and volunteer management/organization
    • outreach and development
  • Religious school educator and leadership
    • education and leadership for adults and children of all age groups
  • Social Action
    • ​reorganizing of social action programming
    • foundation of Town Square Food Pantry
    • leadership of multiple drives and collections for needed supplies for refugees and those in need
  • Pastoral care and counseling for community members
  • Facilitate lifecycle events and rituals
  • High Holiday ritual and prayer leadership
  • High Holiday alternative service leadership
  • Holiday and sabbath observance and service leadership​

Beth Sholom Temple Rabbinic Internship, Fredericksburg, VA
​(September 2012)

  • High Holiday ritual and prayer leadership
  • High Holiday family prayer service leadership
  • Pastoral care for community members

Beth Shalom Congregation Rabbinic Internship, East Liverpool, OH (September 2011 to June 2012)

  • Shabbat and holiday ritual and prayer leadership
  • Leader of learning opportunities in Jewish texts, history, culture, and spirituality
  • Pastoral visits to congregant homes and local hospitals
  • Organization of social events
  • Facilitator of community outreach and inter-religious dialogue
  • Guest speaker at local hospital’s chaplaincy training program

Conversion Mentor (September 2009 to present)

  • Private mentorship and consultation for conversion candidates
  • Judge on batei din

Jewish Home and Hospital Rabbinic Internship, New York, NY
​(August 2009 - May 2010)

  • Pastoral care and counseling provided to residents and rehabilitation patients
  • Service leader for Shabbat and holiday ritual and prayer services
  • Administrative development and documentation
  • Funeral assistance and end of life chaplaincy

Union Temple Congregation Rabbinic Internship, Fort Smith, AR (September 2009)

  • High Holiday prayer leadership
  • Adult education program (a comparative study of rabbinic texts on the Binding of Isaac)
  • Facilitator for community discussions
  • Leadership for graveside services
  • Pastoral care for hospitalized community members

Congregation Ohef Shalom Rabbinic Internship, Norfolk, VA (October 2008)

  • High Holiday prayer leadership for family services
  • Co-officiant and sermon delivery for main congregational prayer services
  • Adult education program (a personal growth centered study of tzedakah)

Education Experience

Founder, The Jewish Teachers’ Network (January 2011 - November 2012)

  • Creator and founder of non-profit organization based in social networking and Jewish education
  • Research and development of on-line resource sharing platform for Jewish educatorsProject development and researcher
  • Fund raising
  • Budgetary management
  • Operations management and assessment
  • Strategic long term planning

Hillels of Westchester Rabbinic Engagement (August 2012)

  • Educational programming for college students
  • Pastoral support for students

Society for the Advancement of Judaism Educator, New York, NY (September 2010 - May 2011)

  • Teacher of Bible Through Drama class for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders
  • Teacher of Hebrew, using Mitkadem and independently crafted curricula for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders
  • Teacher for “How the Jews Talk to God,” part of the Great Stories Curriculum (a course on prayer) for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders

Agudas Achim Congregation Educator, Iowa City, IA (July 2004 - June 2006)

  • Teacher of tikkun olam, personal observance, and holidays for 6th graders, independently crafted curricula
  • Organized class field trips, volunteer programs, and charitable programs for 6th graders
  • Assistant to Rabbi in adult education and programming

Educator at Temple Judah, Cedar Rapids, IA (August 2005 – May 2006)

  • Teacher of Hebrew for 4th graders
  • Teacher of Hebrew for 5th graders

Administrative and Development Experience

Blaustein Center for Pastoral Counseling Internship (August 2012 to 2013)

  • Development support for educational film series in pastoral care
  • Research and development of pilot program “Creating Sexually Healthy Institutions” with the Religious Institute
  • Coordination support for continuing education seminars in pastoral care at HUC-JIR
  • Website support for Blaustein Center’s online presence
  • Marketing and branding support for the Center

Office of the Assistant Dean for the Rabbinical Program at HUC-JIR Internship, New York, NY (August 2009 to May 2012)

  • Administrative and logistical planning for Kallah (HUC-JIR’s beginning-of-the-year retreat)
  • Consultation and research for HUC-JIR’s internal website for New York campus
  • Administrative assistance and logistical support for rabbinic placement program (2010 only)

Prior Professional Experience

Item Technician, ACT Standardized Testing Organization (August 2002 to 2006)

  • Standardized Test and Professional Examination creation and question management (specifically for the Multi-state Bar Exam and Federal Foreign Service Exam)
  • Project development
  • Quality control and departmental development in quality assurance
  • Head of organization and maintenance of information archives and directories

Founder of Art in the Garden, Annual not for profit art show in central Illinois (est. July 2000)

  • Creator and co-founder of community event and art exhibition designed to educate and increase awareness of local artistry and artists
  • Fund raising
  • Budgetary management for exhibition
  • Design, construction, and circulation of press releases, marketing, and advertising
  • Coordination of international guest artists, guest speakers, and community outreach
  • Coordination of multiple news agencies including television, print, and radio

Lay Leadership

Agudas Achim Congregation, Iowa City, IA  (May 2002 to June 2006)

  • Ritual committee member (consultation on ritual matters, organization and planning of High Holiday events and services)
  • Prayer leader in Rabbi's absentia
  • Librarian (head of library committee, acquisitions, technology, programming, and coordination of volunteers)
  • Judge on batei din (for conversions and divorce)
  • Prison visitation (pastoral care and Passover Seder leadership at Iowa State Penitentiary)
  • Led pre-Kabbalat Shabbat yoga and meditation sessions