Rabbi Erin became OH's Education Director this summer. Rabbi Erin’s leadership style, professional experiences and personality are a great fit for OH. These are some places where Rabbi Erin shines:
Reconstructionist Jewish Education
- Rabbi Erin directed two local Reconstructionist congregational schools and then served as the Director of Education for the Reconstructionist Movement. In that role, Rabbi Erin worked with rabbis, education directors and lay leaders to translate Reconstructionist values into the curricula and governance of communities throughout North America.
Curriculum
- Rabbi Erin loves to design curricula that reflect the values and culture of the community. Specific modalities she highlights include intergenerational, arts-based, project-based, service-learning curricula. Rabbi Erin is passionate about integrating Tikkun Olam and social justice issues into curricula as well as utilizing technology strategically to enhance congregational education. Rabbi Erin also feels strongly about making schools comfortable for students with all different strengths and challenges.
Professional Development
- At Gratz College, Rabbi Erin built a mentorship program for local congregational school teachers and a national training program specifically for them as well. She speaks about providing teachers with a strong curricular framework while empowering them to be responsive to the needs and temperament of the students in each class, and the teachers’ own passions. Although all synagogues had trouble attracting teachers last year, Rabbi Erin was able to recruit 14 new teachers at the school she directed as well as adding 20 new children to the school.
Most importantly, Rabbi Erin is warm, kind, curious, creative, organized, and a great delegator. We feel lucky that Rabbi Erin wants to apply her experience and skills to helping teach and grow our Or Hadash community, young and old.
Rabbi Erin will spend the rest of the summer working with Rabbi Alanna, Nadine Canter, Jen Lavenberg, Barbara Weissman (occasionally), and the faculty to ensure SMILE school is ready for classes in September. We will offer Meet & Greets for the congregation this Summer and Fall. If you would like to meet with Rabbi Erin privately, feel free to reach out to her directly.