Three Alums Bring Their Passions to Presentations This Fall

This fall several Jewish Spiritual Leaders’ Institute alumni offered presentations to the school and alumni. These Lunch and Learn presentations are part of the curriculum of the rabbinic program overseen by Sim Shalom and Rabbi Steven Blane. Lunch and Learn topics are chosen that represent a particular passion or expertise of the student and examples include Jews of Portugal, Jewish Comedians, Pirket Avot and Accounting for the Clergy. A new class is forming for January 2020.

The rich, diversity of continuing education topics are illustrated by those of the alumni presentations this fall.

Rabbi Daniel Betzel of Ohio offered a presentation entitled The Stumbling Stone Project: Remembering the Future on October 30th. Rabbi Betzel works as a tax lawyer and financial consultant. In addition, he has served as Religious School and Hebrew teacher at his synagogue since 2007. He currently teaches a 10th Grade Confirmation Class and has also served as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutor. He is active in the Congregation’s Shabbat Alive Band and also serves as the Ohio Ambassador for the Sar-El/Volunteers for Israel Program.

Massachusetts based Rabbi Jennifer Rudin’s presentation was titled: Based on readings from Who By Fire: A Discussion of the liturgical poem Uneh Taneh Tokef. Rabbi Rudin is the founder of Simcha Services and Congregation Derech HaShalom, in Holliston, MA. She believes that Judaism is relevant, meaningful and inspirational and supports families in Jewish living, learning and celebrating. Her work is grounded in the belief that every person experiences and expresses Judaism differently. She earned a Masters in Jewish Education and a certificate in Jewish Family Education and from Hebrew College, Newton, MA. Rabbi Rudin was ordained by The Jewish Spiritual Leader’s Institute and received her Rabbinic Semicha in July, 2017.

Rabbi Ileanah Carazo’s, JSLI’s first Costa Rican Rabbi, presentation was entitled Tree of Life as a Multidimensional Representation of Life and took place on November 6th. Rabbi Carazo was born in Costa Rica in a Marrano family. Her grandfather introduced her to the magic and wonders of the world and to discover the deepness of spirituality and mysticism. An eternal student of life, she lived in the US for 25 years, and adopted Judaism which became her love and passion. Now, she works as an Interreligious Chaplain and Patient Experience Officer at CIMA Hospital in Costa Rica, and also teaches Judaism, Kabbalah and Holistic issues.