Shabbat Shalom ~ Bo 2026

Shalom WJC Family,

Here’s the thing – when I decided to go to Rabbinical school, I wasn’t totally sold on actually becoming a rabbi. At least part of why I decided to go to Seminary was to pursue the day school education that I never got as a kid. Of course, there were many steps along the path. One very important one was my first experience in a yeshiva.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in social work, I decided to spend a year in Israel learning at the Conservative Yeshiva in the Fuchsburg Jerusalem Center. The CY, as it is affectionately known, was only three years old when I arrived there in 1997, and it was a pretty new idea. We learned like you might in any traditional yeshiva, but the classes were fully egalitarian and the methodology incorporated a lot of modern techniques and historical elements. As thousands of years of exploration of Torah, Rabbinic texts, Jewish philosophy, and even some Kabbalah opened up before me, it wasn’t just Judaism with which I was becoming more familiar; I was getting to know myself better – my heritage, my faith, my purpose. It was one of the most important years of my life.

One of my favorite things to do as a rabbi is to share my love of Jewish learning and that experience with others. That’s why I hope you will join us on Monday evening February 2nd at 7:45pm as Rabbi Dalton, Cantor Goldberg, and I present an approachable, accessible, fun yeshiva-style evening of learning as part of our annual Community Night of Learning presented by our Spiritual Life Committee. Our topic is “Why Isn’t Chicken Parm Kosher?” and we will consider the arguments for and against considering chicken “meat” in the classical texts, and more importantly, the roots of Rabbinic authority to make that decision. We are even providing dinner – Chicken Parm! Well, Chik’n Parm anyway, the vegetarian version, but like everything else, Patty makes it delicious!

I hope you will join us for good food, active learning, and personal growth. Please register so we can make the right amount of food by clicking here.

We are looking forward to a beautiful Shabbat, including the final installment of this year’s Shabbat Morning 101 series with our Rabbinic Intern Jacob Lipkin in the library at 10am. It is Rabbi Lipkin’s last Shabbat with us as he prepares to graduate and take his next step to a pulpit. It has been a real pleasure having him and I hope you will join me in expressing our gratitude for his tenure at WJC and wishing him much success as his rabbinic journey continues. He will also be teaching the Saturday afternoon shiur (Torah learning) between mincha and maariv on Shabbat afternoon (4:45pm) while the cantor and I learn with the 4th and 5th grade families who will be joining us.

See you in shul,

RJA