Boca Raton, FL (June 7, 2022) As one of our country’s most highly respected Reform congregations established in 1967, Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, continues to grow and will welcome Rabbi Elana Rabishaw as their 4th full-time rabbi as of July 1, 2022. She will join the dedicated clergy team that currently includes Rabbi Dan Levin, Rabbi Jessica Spitalnic Mates, Rabbi Greg Weisman, Cantor Lori Brock, Cantorial Soloists Michelle Auslander Cohen and Jake Harris.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Rabbi Rabishaw was ordained in May 2022 at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. Her background includes working as a Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, as well as working at numerous other synagogues throughout the greater Los Angeles area, including being a summer Chaplain Intern at children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and as a student rabbi in Yakima, Washington.
In her youth, Rabbi Rabishaw spent every summer beginning in 5th grade at URJ camp OSRUI Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. She attended the University of Wisconsin- Madison where she earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Community and Nonprofit Leadership and Modern Hebrew. Following that, she attained a Master’s of Arts in Hebrew Letters from HUC-JIR and a second Master’s Degree in Jewish Education.
In making her decision to join the Temple Beth El clergy team, Rabbi Rabishaw says that “I immediately became excited when I read in the job description that the congregation’s essential value was love – and that it was embodied by, “championing inclusion and lowering barriers to access while creating as many portals of entry as possible.’ I was sold because this is the essential value that I want to live by as well. Having the opportunity to work in and become part of a community that aspires to live by the same values was exactly what I was looking for in my first rabbinic match.”
She continues, “I am looking forward to building out opportunities for young adults to feel part of Temple Beth El. I am also looking forward to building relationships with our families and children, beginning with Summer Adventure Camp and continuing through meeting our teenagers. I will know that I have truly begun to accomplish my goal of building meaningful relationships when familes as me to officiate their life cycle events.”
Temple Beth El is thrilled to welcome Rabbi Elana Rabishaw to our clergy team and welcomes the entire community to join us at on Friday, July 1, 2022 for Shabbat evening services at 6:00 pm for a special Shehecheyanu and to meet our new Rabbi! Services will be held both in person at the Schaefer Family campus or can be viewed online via Livestream, Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, call 561-391-8900 or visit tbeboca.org.
