During my interview at Hebrew College, I was asked to share a Jewish text that was significant to me. I wholeheartedly believe in what I said, and am feel so blessed that an institution believes in me. I can't wait to bring my Torah to the world.
Here is some of what I said:
Right before graduating college, Shalom Kantor, my Hillel rabbi at Binghamton University, gave me a book, dedicating these words to me, really capturing who I was as a person:
“אמר רבי אלעזר: כל פרנס שמנהיג את הציבור בנחת זוכה ומנהיגם לעולם הבה.”
(Those who lead the community gently, merit to lead them in the world to come- Sanhedrin 92a)
I have tried to live by these words, working to understand what it actually means to live by these words. What does it mean to lead with gentleness? Being able to guide and not direct. The ability to share conversations and not control them. The ability to listen. Not to rush things. To be careful. To be sensitive. To slow it down and to pause and to reflect. Leading with gentleness implies that a leader’s decisions takes into account the needs and desires of a kehillah. Leading with gentleness may be seen as a challenge to a traditional models of rabbinic authority. Perhaps it is counterculture.
Who are strong examples of compassionate leaders? The first person that comes to mind is Debbie Friedman. Many summers ago, Debbie was the artist-in-residence at my camp. Debbie modeled for me what it means to be compassionate. Debbie was a songleader. She had no interest in a hierarchy of leadership. She saw her role as a democratic leader, interested in a partnership with her community. When she would begin to teach a song, she never had people repeat back lines to her. Instead, she just invited them to sing. I too, want to invite people in a partnership, and to just sing.
Another example of a very different compassionate leader was Abraham Joshua Heschel. Being a student at JTS and living at the Union Theological Seminary, both places where Heschel has taught has inspired me to take his messages to heart. When people think of the great Jewish leaders, charismatic leaders often come into focus. I am drawn to Heschel because he was able to speak powerfully without fanfare. He did not seek notoriety. And yet, his voice was heard. He was able to channel the words of the prophets. Heschel said, “A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion, whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair.” It is my hope that I can bring my compassion to the rabbinate, using the model of gentle leadership to build Jewish community.
