WEST BRATTLEBORO-The Brattleboro Area Jewish Community (BAJC) welcomes Rabbi Debra Kolodny as their new spiritual leader.
In a news release, BAJC said it "conducted a thorough search, and the community was inspired by Rabbi Debra's energy, knowledge, personal warmth, integrity, joy, musicality, and deep grounding in Jewish tradition and spirituality."
Prior to ordination, Rabbi Debra (they/them) had a rewarding career in the labor movement, organization development consulting, and conflict transformation. Since 1998, they have been serving "spiritually nourishing, musically lyrical, civically engaged" Jewish congregations, national nonprofits and interfaith coalitions, BAJC said.
Among other deployments, Rabbi Debra led ALEPH (Alliance for Jewish Renewal) for nine years, where they supported Renewal communities, strengthened the architecture for Renewal's sustainability, and studied with "some of the greatest Jewish teachers in the world."
Rabbi Debra says they love teaching children and adults, bringing innovative approaches to prayer and meditation, and supporting strong, caring communities that honor difference and do good in the world.
BAJC's mission is to provide a context and structure for people to be Jewish together in a rural environment, and members participate together in religious, spiritual, educational, social, and cultural experiences. They welcome anyone interested in participating and learning to join them. For more information, contact BAJC at info@bajcvermont.org.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.