שַׁמַּאי אוֹמֵר
עֲשֵׂה תוֹרָתְךָ קֶבַע
אֱמֹר מְעַט וַעֲשֵׂה הַרְבֵּה
וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת
Shammai says:
Make your learning a fixed practice
Speak little and do much
And receive all people with a pleasant countenance
Pirkei Avot 1:15
I have always made learning a fixed practice, be it in the car with audiobooks, asking questions at a board meeting, studying virtually with a chavruta partner in California, or learning by doing with friends, students, mentors, and teachers.
Interested in some of the best things I’ve learned over the years? Check out a brief history with a few fun facts below.
Rabbinic Ordination — May 2023
Certificate in Pastoral Care and Counseling — May 2023
Masters in Hebrew Literature — May 2022
Going to rabbinical school was always my dream—and while a pandemic education wasn’t quite what I had pictured, there have been so many incredible opportunities to learn and to grow. After spending time learning about the rabbinate, I am grateful to have this last year as I begin more clearly defining what my rabbinate can look like.
Sweetest memory: During Orientation, sitting on the steps of Congregation Emanu-El with my classmates, writing letters to our future selves.
Random fun fact: I have taken classes in every school/department that HUC has to offer!
Favorite embarrassing memory: I didn’t know that HUC was a rabbinical school for years—I only knew it as the soup kitchen where I volunteered with TBE!
Most influential instructor: Dr. Zohara Pardess-Feinstein, who sets impossibly high standards and does everything in her power to ensure that you reach them.
The most important thing I’ve learned thus far: It is not just a rabbi’s job to lead people; a rabbi also has to move them as well. (Rabbi Jerry Davidson)
Clinical Pastoral Education Lev. I (Weill-Cornell) — Summer 2021
Clinical Pastoral Education Lev. II (Columbia/MS-CHONY) — Summer 2022
For two summers, I worked as a hospital chaplain, primarily working with a pediatric population. With 300 hours of clinical work on the hospital floor, and 100 hours of education, I was able to engage in unforgettable experiential and educational learning that greatly influenced how I approach my work today.
Best new “trick”: “Mind-reads” from Rev. Jose Maria Collazo for confirmation and trust practices
Greatest influence: Rev. Daniel H. Yang was my preceptor for both summers and encouraged my personal and professional growth and learning on a weekly basis (along with helping me define the major point of my senior thesis).
Favorite hospital wards: I loved my time in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at both Weill-Cornell and MS-CHONY.
Favorite educational training: Palliative Care with Rev. Jeannemarie Walsh
The most important thing I learned: Chaplaincy is never about solving the problem; it’s about meeting people where they are in the depths of their darkness and sitting there with them for a while.
Certificate in Jewish Education, Adolescents & Emerging Adults — May 2014
During my second year at Oregon Hillel, I took part in the third cohort of HUC-JIR’s Certificate in Jewish Education program that welcomed professionals from a variety of Jewish organizations that were working with youth, adolescents, and emerging adults. As my role was changing to Director of Jewish Leadership and Learning, this program enabled me to ensure there was real depth to the engaging programs that we were already offering.
Favorite class: Social Psychology of Adolescents with Dr. Betsy Stone
Best outcome: I created Oregon Hillel’s “BROgramming” Series as my final!
Favorite memory: Leading a tefilah session in which we encouraged our fellow students to make the prayers out of clay.
The most important thing I learned: It is so important to be able to laugh at yourself and with yourself. A sense of humor is something that can be translated across generations.
Masters in Business Administration — May 2013
As a Kelley MBA student, I was confronted and challenged by some of my biggest fears (read: accounting, business analytics) and favorites (read: marketing, public relations). With a good deal of grit and great friendships, this hybrid program helped me gain confidence in my ability to strengthen team management, embrace diverse points of view, and move swiftly from idea to implementation.
Favorite class: Marketing with Rockney Walters
Most ridiculous memory: On the first day—for Convocation—the airlines lost my suitcase, and I was meant to go to a business-attire dinner that evening (which I had not dressed for on the plane!). Thankfully, one of the Kelley School employees took me to the mall in Bloomington to quickly find an appropriate outfit.
Winning Moment: In our first Kelley Connect week, we won our business-school competition by creating a people-first approach to the Textillery “problem set”!
Best Memories: As secretary of the Student Leadership Association, and president of the Kelley Direct Women MBA group, I always loved “Kelley Connect Weeks” for each Kelley class on the Bloomington campus—making new friends in the process, and of course playing “Sink the Biz” at Nick’s!
The most important thing I learned: When working with a team, it’s okay to not be great at everything—find what you’re good at, and work with the team to empower each other to work together to make those strengths align!
Yesodot (Foundations) — August 2009
Beit Midrash (Intermediate Track) — August 2010
As Drisha’s only Reform Jewish student to be immersed in a full-time text study fellowship at the time, I had both a lot to learn and a lot to teach in this rigorous and collaborative environment. Areas of study included Jewish law (halakhah), Talmud (gemara), commentaries (parshanut), the weekly Torah portion (parashat hashavua), and Biblical Hebrew.
Favorite memory: When I began, I chose to go into an introductory Talmud class, because I had very little text study in the original language. After one session, my amazing teacher—Dr. Rachel Rosenthal—sent me to the intermediate class with Rabbi Daniel Reifman!
Favorite class: Toss-up for Talmud Classes! (Kashrut with Rabbi Reifman, or Bava Metzia with Rabbi Kelsen!)
Favorite program: Convincing Drisha to host a Facebook-themed birthday party program for Maharat Rori Picker-Neiss (and me) based on the masks that we might wear in public.
Best fun fact!: This is where I learned what the word “hefker” meant (also known as a freebie table), and was the place where I composed a Mishnah song and the epic “Defying Royalty” [a Vashti breakout hit] for Purim.
The most important thing I learned: Your background or lack thereof does not foretell your success in the classroom—often by being the person who knew the least going in, I had the opportunity to learn the most coming out.
Masters Certificate in Jewish Nonprofit Management — August 2010
When I began to think about going to Rabbinical school, I had the opportunity to take some graduate classes to see if I might be well-equipped to be a “graduate student.” I choose to focus on Jewish Nonprofit Management because it was a six-class program that allowed me to delve into both business and Judaism at the same time. These classes included Fundraising in the Organized Jewish Community, Genesis and Judaism, History of the Rabbinic Civilization, Marketing and Promoting the Jewish Organization, New Directions in the American Jewish Community, and Synagogue Management).
Favorite fun fact: I found out from Dr. Rela Geffen (z”l) that there was a bylaw in one of the oldest American synagogues that stated, “One may not sing off-key.”
Most absurd debate: During a Synagogue Leadership class, we were asked to write about five leaders that we deemed exemplary. My first example was Kermit the Frog. While my teacher had me re-write the assignment, I stand by this position.
Favorite class: Anything with Dr. Ruth Sandberg!
The most important thing I learned: Anything and everything in Judaism can be made relevant to what’s happening today—you just need to know what you’re looking at and for.
BA in Judaic Studies and Psychology — May 2008
As an undergraduate at GWU, I went in with a very clear idea of what I planned to do with my life: I was going to be a pediatrician. Fast forward a year and a half and I realized that particular path and my skills and abilities weren’t greatly matched (Oops!). Nevertheless, I had an excellent time learning about psychology and accidentally adding a double major of Judaic studies (Less of an oops!).
Lowest score on an exam: While I can’t actually remember my lowest score, I do remember the class averaging 40% on a calculus exam — this was probably the start of my recognizing the need for a change of career options.
Favorite class(es): Any psychology class taught by Dr. Steven Forssell or Dr. Pamela Woodfruff, and Rabbinic Thought & Literature by Professor Robert Eisen
Most-owned embarrassing fun-fact: I was a part of a competition-performing Jewish a capella group named Shiluv — for which I did choreography. No, I will not be providing videos on this site.
The most important thing I learned: It’s okay to pivot when things truly aren’t the right fit—just know that something absolutely wonderful is out there waiting for you!