In this complicated moment with Israel, he tries not to be divisive from the bimah. “There is a famous saying about rabbis – afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. I really have tried not to afflict.”
One of Rabbi Schaffer’s important goals is for his students to be able to craft and help them grow in their own Jewish context, empower them to create their own meanings.
“Whenever there is a communal issue, our concept is, ‘let’s try doing it as a community.’ Not just Young Israel. Young Israel is one piece of it.”
“The more I was studying Judaism, especially Torah, thinking about what I would be teaching as a rabbi, the more I saw parallels between Judaism and poetry. I think Judaism is a big poem.”
“I believe we will rebuild on that site. For a while, it was a question. But it looks as if we are going to stay.”
In addition to writing, Eger’s focus has been her executive coaching practice: tutoring rabbis, ministers and non-profit executives – on Zoom – all over the U.S. and Canada. Since March, she has also been the interim executive director for A Wider Bridge.
Rabbi Raucher’s efforts center on “trying to figure out ways the Federation can be more engaging, more expansive of experiences for all men connected to the Jewish community. No one Jewish is excluded.”
Michelle Missaghieh, Temple Israel of Hollywood’s associate rabbi, is likely the busiest rabbi in Los Angeles.
If there’s one thing that’s characterized Temple Beth David’s Rabbi Nancy Myers’ career, it’s her persistence.
“What turned me on to the rabbinate,” she said, “was the learning and the ability to teach text, to learn more about people and their interest in Judaism.”
