Temple Israel’s new rabbi
Temple Israel is so excited to welcome its first full-time female rabbi to the Rabbinic Team.ย We interviewed Rabbi Emma Gottlieb to get a sense of who she is as she starts what we hope will be a long association with us.
When did you know you wanted to become a rabbi?
Funnily enough, I didnโt decide to become a rabbi until my second year of cantorial studies at the Hebrew Union College (HUC), in NYC. I had planned to become a cantor from an early age (about 12 or 13) as I was very passionate about music, prayer and the Jewish community. At HUC however, I began to realise how important it was to me to also be able to study Torah, midrash and theology, in particular, and how much I loved to teach others. After a year or two, it was clear to me that the rabbinic programme was a better fit for me and I changed programmes. Iโve been very happy with the decision since and I still use much of what I learned in the cantorial programme when leading tโfillah and working in partnership to strengthen congregational approaches to engaging and participatory music.ย
Do you have a mentor or person who inspired you when you were younger?
Iโve been incredibly lucky to have a plethora of rabbis and cantors in my life to inspire me. My father is a rabbi (Rabbi Dannyย Gottlieb, currently in San Francisco, CA) and so of course I have learnedย much from him over the years. When I was younger, I was particularly close to my cantor and as a teenager, I was very inspired by Rabbi Billy and Cantor Ellen Dreskin (in New York). In all honesty though, I couldnโt possibly list all of the rabbis and cantors who have inspired and taughtย throughout my life. I continue to be inspired by my friends and colleagues and I am so excited to have new South African colleagues now, to inspire and teach me as well!
What are any highlights you want to share of your rabbinic life until now?
Coming to Cape Town to be Temple Israelโs first full-time woman rabbi is a definite highlight and itโs hard toย think of anything else Iโve done thatโs quite as exciting as that! I am particularly proud of the years I spent as the Rabbi of Temple Beth David in Canton, MA. In each year of my rabbinate so far, however, the real highlights are the moments I am blessed to share with individuals in the most sacred moments of their lives โ weddings and conversions, bโnai mitzvah, welcoming babies into the Jewish community โ and even participating in the mitzvah of consoling theย bereaved.ย
What is your favourite Jewish text at the moment?
My favourite Jewish text at the moment is Esa einei el hโharimย โ I lift my eyes to the mountains, from where does my help come? Every time I look out at the beautiful scenery of Cape Town, I hear these words and feel Godโs presence as a powerful force in my life. The mountains here really have helped me to relate to the Psalmist(s) and to the awe that such nature can inspire in every age.
What are your aims or hopes for your work in Temple Israel?
I am very excited to think about creative ways of bringing Jewish experiences into public spaces, as a way to engage those less likely to come into shul. Iโm excited to celebrate Shabbat on the beach or on a beautifulย hike, and to study Jewish texts and ideas in cafes and parks and peopleโs homes. Opportunities for Jewish learning and engagementย abound and can often be as meaningful out in nature or in cultural spaces as they are within the wall of ourย souls.
Cape Town is a long way from Toronto โ what do you think will be similar and what different in your new city?
I am surprised at how similar the Progressive Jewish community in Cape Town is to the Reform communities in North America – we even use the same siddur with many of the same melodies! Of course, there are many differences between Cape Town and Toronto and I am just beginning to learn them all! So far, there have been lots of new words to learn (in Canada we call stop streets, โstop signsโ and robots are โtraffic lightsโ and thatโs just for starters!). I am amazed at how friendly Capetonians are and ofย course, the weather and scenery are MUCH nicer here!
You didnโt fly over on your own โ tell us about your fellow traveller.
I couldnโt leave Canada without bringing my dog Manny. While he is also adjusting to his newย environment, he is enjoying the sunshine and getting to know our new Temple Israel family.
