Community Care

My Rabbinic thesis examines congregational community care and how Reform congregations around the country care for their members and build lay-led caring committees. I am interested in building communities of care, sharing how Jewish tradition teaches us to support one another in times of joy and sadness, and establishing organizational structures to foster this work. My interest in this work is grounded in my commitment to pastoral care and the importance of clergy providing spiritual care for our community members.

During my time in Rabbinical school, I completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at New York Presbyterian hospital, where I served as a chaplain, providing spiritual care for patients and families of all faiths. I have continued to learn about pastoral care in my coursework, including “Death, Dying and Bereavement” and “Theology and Pastoral Care,” both through Fordham University. At Congregation Kol Ami, I have continued to build pastoral skills through my connections and interactions with congregants of all ages, and in more formal ways such as outreach to those commemorating a yarzheit and supporting life cycle moments.