Rabbi Jillian Cameron of Beth Chayim Chadashim had been involved in her Jewish community since she was a child. Growing up in New Jersey, her family belonged to the Barnert Temple, the oldest synagogue in the state. It was there that she met Rabbi Elyse Frishman, who inspired her to take a rabbinical path.
“I always loved the community,” Cameron said. “Right after my bat mitzvah, my community got a new rabbi, Elyse Frishman, and she was amazing and really revolutionized our synagogue. I loved watching her do her job and how much she loved Judaism.”
When Cameron saw this, she realized that she wanted to be like Frishman.
“Why not devote your life to what you’re passionate about if it makes the world a little bit better?” she said. “You can create deep relationships with people, learn and teach and make change in the world.”
Cameron majored in Jewish Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and went on to receive ordination from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2012. After working at the Central Conference of American Rabbis and different synagogues on the East Coast, she wanted to find a more permanent position. So in July of 2020, she moved to LA and started her position as rabbi of BCC, the world’s first LGBTQ synagogue.
“I hadn’t been a synagogue rabbi for a few years, and I was looking to get back into a community,” Cameron said. “I really missed the idea of belonging to a community and building long-term relationships. I was looking for the right place where I could be, maybe, for the rest of my career. I wanted to plant some roots.”
The rabbi also wanted to be part of something where she could combine her Jewish and queer identities.
“At BCC, there is a sense of belonging, acceptance and celebration of the many different pieces of our identities,” she said. “You can explore all those pieces and get a deep understanding of Judaism.”
To cultivate community, Cameron, along with her colleagues and congregants, hold events like a monthly lunch and learn, local outings, Shabbat and holiday celebrations and groups for people of all various ages and stages of life.
“We really want to find LGBT and Jewish experiences,” she said. “We try to have a balance between those two pieces so we are well-rounded in who we are.”
The Jewish teaching that inspires Cameron is “We are created in the image of God,” which she said is one of the most basic tenants of Judaism.
“There’s a reason why it’s so basic and important and comes at the beginning of Genesis. We have to really see another person, even if they’re of a different religion or culture or have different politics, because every person was made in the image of something greater.”
Connecting with people, no matter where they came from, is what Cameron enjoys the most about her job.
“It doesn’t matter how beautiful your building is or how many songs you know or how great your sermons are. It’s the people that make Judaism come to life. Meeting people is the joy of being a rabbi.” – Rabbi Jillian Cameron
“There is such an incredible tapestry of humans in the world,” she said. “I’m honored and privileged to meet different kinds of people and help them celebrate or deal with what life is throwing at them. Without human beings, there is no Jewish community. It doesn’t matter how beautiful your building is or how many songs you know or how great your sermons are. It’s the people that make Judaism come to life. Meeting people is the joy of being a rabbi.”
Fast Takes With Jillian Cameron
Jewish Journal: What’s your favorite Jewish food?
Jillian Cameron: I love a good matzah ball. Slightly dense, not super fluffy. I like a little chew.
JJ: What would you do if you weren’t a rabbi?
JC: I’ve always wanted to do several things, like perform on Broadway or be a writer or detective. I like crime TV shows and I think I’d be really good at it.
JJ: What kind of dog is your pup, Yasha?
JC: He’s a Dachshund rescue mix. I’m not sure what he’s mixed with. He’s 25 pounds of pure joy, and the sweetest, friendliest companion a girl could have.
JJ: What do you do on your day off?
JC: I’ll do something fun like go to the ocean, take a drive through the hills or have dinner with a friend – something fun that allows me to be a person in addition to being a rabbi.
