While my rabbi work is a living for me—and I live by it—it is more than that. 

It is a calling.

And it is sacred and holy work. 

I come from twenty years of teaching Spanish and English to immigrants in the public schools of New York City. After raising two children, I went through seven years of rabbinical school that required my full attention, meaning I could not work simultaneously.

What many individuals, couples, and families face today, especially the ones I tend to serve, is the challenge of how to navigate, negotiate and figure out life, making Judaism a part of it, successfully—in a multicultural, multi-faith world that pulls us in many different directions—even in different political directions. 

I am well acquainted with this as an individual (and now as a rabbi) who has been in an interfaith marriage for over 35 years with a Catholic man who immigrated to the U.S. at a very tender time in his life. Not only was my interfaith marriage a challenge to the Jewish community, but my political opinions often clashed with the greater Jewish community, a community I had always longed to be part of.

My husband and I had to negotiate our differences completely on our own, with no outside support. On the contrary, we had to deal with a lot of pushback and rejection from family and friends as well as from the Jewish community. 

By this account, our marriage should have failed, and our children should have been utterly lost, neither of which is true. (To the contrary, they are two well-grounded adults.)

I also should never have, in my wildest dreams, gone down this path of becoming a rabbi--not to mention the fact that I was brought up completely secular, and was an atheist for most of my life.

I only wish I, and we, had had the kind of guidance and support that I offer individuals, couples, and their families.

I bring the sensitivity and awareness needed for today’s world into all my work as a rabbi, for the sake of all involved. 

I bring my vast life experience, and also proof that we can live in a way that brings more love into the world as opposed to strife.

I bring proof that all this is possible.

It is beautiful, creative work that requires flexibility determined by the situation of the moment, and I am joyfully passionate about it.

If what I describe is what you want, then I am the rabbi for you.

I will accompany you as you begin a new part of your Jewish journey, and I look forward to meeting you. 

With many blessings,

Rabbi Juliet