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Meet Rabbi Toba Spitzer

Rabbi Toba Spitzer has served Congregation Dorshei Tzedek since she was ordained in 1997 at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC).

Rabbi Spitzer is a popular teacher of courses on Judaism and economic justice, Reconstructionist Judaism, new approaches to thinking about God, and the practice of integrating Jewish spiritual and ethical teachings into daily life. She has written innovative curricula for children on the Book of Exodus and on the Reconstructionist prayer book, Kol Haneshama. She currently serves as the President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and is the first lesbian or gay rabbi to head a national rabbinic organization. Rabbi Spitzer has recently received the honor of being included in both Newsweek's Top 50 Rabbis in America 2008 list, as well as the Forward 50 list.

Rabbi Spitzer has been involved for many years in American Jewish efforts to help foster a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She serves on the National Rabbinic Cabinet of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom (Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace) and is president of the Boston Chapter of the Cabinet. Rabbi Spitzer also has a special interest in Jewish approaches to economic justice and the mindful use of money in daily life. She serves on the Clergy Steering Committee of the Congregation-Based Community Organizing (CBCO) initiative of the Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), and is a leader in the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO).

Rabbi Spitzer's writings are published in The Reconstructionist Journal. While a student at RRC, Rabbi Spitzer organized a rabbinic delegation to Haiti to serve as human rights witnesses during the military junta. The trip and resulting Haitian-Jewish seder are described in her article "Of Haiti and Horseradish," in The Narrow Bridge: Jewish Views on Multiculturalism, edited by Marla Brettschneider.

Click here to see Rabbi Spitzer's divrei torah for the High Holy Days.

Rabbi Spitzer is a devoted and relatively patient Red Sox fan (with a special fondness for Gabe Kapler), and also has a life goal of bowling in all 50 states. She has 29 down so far!

You can contact Rabbi Toba Spitzer by email at rabbi@dorsheitzedek.org.