An invitation from the BA Assistant Rabbi Search Committee
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Dearest Congregation B’nai Amoona Friends,
Shalom!
We wanted to get this exciting news out to you as soon as possible! Our Assistant Rabbi Search Committee has been very busy and is most enthusiastic about bringing Rabbi Yehoshua (Shuki) Zehavi to our Shul for a formal interview, NEXT weekend, January 18-20, 2019.
Below are the bios of Rabbi Zehavi and his talented wife Ashira, as well as photos of the two of them with their sweet children, Nadiv and Boaz.
In addition, attached are two audio files so you can get a sense of the Rabbi's and Ashira's liturgical and musical talents. Enjoy!
Bios: You might say that Rabbi Zehavi’s journey began when, at age four, he declared that he wanted to be a rabbi and a scientist “to understand the world from different perspectives”. Dialogue between contrasting views is still an aspect of Jewish study that he deeply appreciates. A central commitment of his work is to make rich and fulfilling Jewish life accessible to all who seek it. In his current pulpit at Congregation Agudat Achim in Leominster, MA this has taken various forms, from family education events, to home hospitality, and a new Introduction to Judaism program. He puts special emphasis on worship, inviting people into traditional prayer as a devotional practice while giving tools for wider participation.
Rabbi Zehavi is particularly passionate about teaching and believes that education can be both inclusive and deep. He has conducted adult education courses for a wide set of backgrounds and designed a B’nai Mitzvah training program to accommodate various learning styles and levels of knowledge. Before assuming his current pulpit, he had the joy of teaching youth and adults in Conservative, interdenominational, and interfaith contexts. He treats all moments as opportunities to model and teach Jewish life and values and loves working with all ages.
Having lived as a child and adult in different parts of the US and Israel, he has benefited from exposure to Jewish communities of different denominational and cultural backgrounds and appreciates the gifts that each tradition offers the Jewish people today.
Rabbi Zehavi is completing his Rabbinical studies at Hebrew College, where he has been enriched by deep text study in an open, warm, and pluralistic community. His previous education includes a B.A. in Philosophy and Human Rights from Columbia University and legal studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is currently in the midst of a training program in Shechitah (ritual slaughter) and hopes to explore issues related to the food system and the environment more broadly in the Jewish community. He, Ashira, and their two young boys enjoy caring for their backyard chickens, collecting eggs, and tending their vegetable and herb gardens.
Ashira Zehavi is an accomplished singer, composer, and teacher. She has been inspired to lead people in prayer through song since she was a little girl. At the age of 9 she taught herself to play the guitar and by age 10 she was a regular fixture singing and leading services in her community.
Ashira went on to study classical voice and received her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University and her Masters of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory. Driven by her commitment to empower others in their self-expression, Ashira opened a vocal studio in San Francisco. During that time, she joined the voice faculty at the University of San Francisco and other local performing arts schools.
While teaching, Ashira decided to combine her love of singing with her passion for prayer-leading and began cantorial study. She completed the Davvenen’ Leadership Training Institute through ALEPH and studied for 2 years at the Academy for Jewish Religion, CA until she was led to continue her studies in Israel with the Jewish Theological Seminary. While a cantorial student, Ashira had the pleasure of serving as a religious school teacher, song leader, and cantorial soloist in several Jewish communities.
During her several years living in Israel, Ashira continued to teach voice, training clergy and lay students in service-leadership. She also taught cantillation and prayer skills at the Conservative Yeshiva and participated in multiple recording projects as singer, music director, and vocal coach, including “Dancing in the Glory” with Nava Tehilla. For the first time in Israel, Ashira began composing music, both secular and liturgical in Hebrew and English. Especially dear to her is a service of music for Kabbalat Shabbat with harp and piano accompaniment which she composed and led with her husband throughout their last year in Jerusalem.
After returning to the U.S., Ashira continued to teach and was engaged by several communities for cantorial work. She largely turned her attention to starting her family and caring for her two young boys. Currently, her most treasured roles are Ima and Rebbetzin, focusing on nurturing her family and contributing to her community in informal and homey ways. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga and knitting sweaters for her loved ones.
We look forward to seeing as many B'nai Amoona members here throughout the weekend as possible. There will be many opportunities to welcome, study with, and interact with Rabbi Zehavi and his wife:
On Friday, January 18, you can welcome our guests at:
Morning Minyan (7:00 am) followed by breakfast
Kabbalat Shabbat followed by Ma'ariv (6:00 pm)
On Shabbat Shirah, January 19:
You can Schmooze with the Zehavis at the Shabbat Shirah breakfast (8:30 am)
Hear Rabbi Zehavi speak when he delivers the Torah Introduction (approximately 9:45 am)
Learn with Rabbi Zehavi when he teaches our Torah for Today class (10:15 am)
Hear Rabbi Zehavi Daven Minchah (4:00 pm)
Study Torah with Rabbi Shuki during Seudah Shlisheet (4:45 pm)
Enjoy Ma'ariv and Havdalah which will be led by Rabbi Shuki and Ashira (5:30 pm)
On Sunday, Mitzvah Day, January 20:
Rabbi Zehavi will Daven Shacharit (9:00 am)
Enjoy breakfast, then mix and mingle with the Rabbi during Mitzvah Day (9:45 am)
Come to Minyan at 6:15 pm where Rabbi Zehavi will facilitate Ma'ariv
On Monday, January 21, Rabbi Zehavi will lead Shacharit (7:00 am). Minyan will be followed by a delicious breakfast and another opportunity to interact with Rabbi Shuki.
It's a packed weekend, so be sure to get to B’nai Amoona and meet our honored guests! Thank you to all the members of our Assistant Rabbi Search Committee and we look forward to a wonderful weekend with the Zehavi Family.
Please contact me via email at cschuval@gmail.com or phone at 314-922-3318 with your reflections and impressions of our Assistant Rabbi candidate!
