As a founding member of our Kehilah, our “homegrown rabbi” will forever be one of us even as she moves into the next chapter of her work in her new hometown. While we were her primary congregants, she often served as a rabbinic presence in interfaith spaces committed to social and environmental justice within the larger Central Ohio community. As a consultant for the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Jessica advocated for women’s health care. As a local representative of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, she raised her voice for issues including Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Fair Food campaign, DACA, and sanctuary for undocumented members of our community, most notably Edith Espinal.While we are saying “so long,” we are not saying goodbye. As so many, particularly in the global Jewish community, have learned during the Covid-19 pandemic, digital telecommunications have made it possible to lead services and educational endeavors from afar. Building on her experiences in ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal’s low-residency Rabbinic ordination program, Rabbi Jessica has engaged Sukkat Shalom through online teaching and ritual artistry over the past five months. She will continue this role through the 5781 High Holy Days. (Click here for a full list of events.)
Moving into 5781, Sukkat Shalom will largely return to our lay-led roots. Our Worship committee has and will continue to plan a variety of Kabbalat Shabbatot, Havdalah, and holiday services. In addition to these chavurah-style experiences, we will host guest rabbis, cantors, and other Jewish professionals to ensure we are hearing a range of voices and ideas. We look forward to including Rabbi Jessica in this line-up in addition to taking advantage of educational opportunities she is organizing through Holding the Fringes, her personal spiritual consultancy.Our Social Action and Adult Learning committees have also been busy engaging our members in conversations around Black Lives Matter and preparing ourselves for the High Holidays. We are excited to build our capacity for such work through a grant from Jewish Columbus that will fund additional training for lay leaders to facilitate experiences around Jewish music, environmental and food-related issues, Mussar, and other innovative approaches to worship.
Kehilat Sukkat Shalom is moving into 5781 with strength and confidence. We are, as we always have been, a thriving and visible force for dynamic, communally-driven Judaism that engages and supports a diverse membership. We look forward to greeting new members in the upcoming year, building our reach and capacity to serve the progressive Jewish people throughout Central Ohio. |
