Alysa Stanton

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Alysa Stanton (born c. 1964) is an African-American Jew. On June 6, 2009, she was ordained as the first African-American female rabbi.[1][2] In August 2009 she began work as a rabbi at Congregation Bayt Shalom, a small majority-white synagogue in Greenville, North Carolina, making her the first African-American rabbi to lead a majority-white congregation.[3] Stanton converted to Judaism at age 24 and first studied and worked as a psychotherapist.

[edit] Early life and education

Stanton was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to Denver, Colorado, with her family at the age of 11.[4][5] Although raised a Pentecostal Christian, when she was 24 Stanton converted to Judaism after considering several Eastern religions.[5][6][7][8] She has said she was "born Jewish—just not to a Jewish womb".[9]

[edit] Career

In her first career, Stanton was a psychotherapist.[8] She specialized in grief counseling, and was asked to speak to people in Columbine after the 1999 high school massacre.[10] Before preparing for the rabbinate, she sought to become a cantor, but heard that Jewish leadership positions were not available to women.[11] When she finally saw a female cantor, she decided to pursue the studies necessary to become a rabbi.[11]

Stanton graduated from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, a Reform Jewish seminary.[6] She says she is not concerned with being the first Black woman to become a rabbi, "I try not to focus on being the first. I focus on being the best—the best human being, the best rabbi I can be."[12] "If I were the 50,000th, I’d still be doing what I do.... Me being first was just the luck of the draw."[13]

In August 2009, Stanton became the rabbi of Congregation Bayt Shalom, a small majority-white synagogue in Greenville, North Carolina.[5] The congregation's president said that the fact that Stanton is African-American and a woman had nothing to do with the decision to hire her: "I'm very proud of my community. [Stanton's being a woman or being Black] never came up in conversation. Obviously, we all know that's unusual but when she got on the pulpit during her visit, it was totally comfortable."[14] In 2011, the congregation decided not to renew her contract, which expired July 31, 2011.[15]

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Kaufman, David (June 6, 2009). "Introducing America's First Black, Female Rabbi". Time. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1903245,00.html. Retrieved June 6, 2009. 
  2. ^ Whitaker, Carrie (June 6, 2009). "First Black Female Jewish Rabbi Ordained". The Cincinnati Enquirer. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090606/NEWS01/906070350/First+black+female+rabbi+ordained. Retrieved June 6, 2009. [dead link]
  3. ^ "White House steps up Jewish outreach amid criticism of Mideast policy". CNN. May 26, 2010. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-21/living/north.carolina.black.rabbi_1_rabbinical-school-richness-of-jewish-heritage-conservative-rabbi?_s=PM:LIVING. 
  4. ^ Dettelbach, Cynthia (January 17, 2008). "Tenacity, Vision, Thick Skin for Aspiring Female Black Rabbi". Cleveland Jewish News. http://www.clevelandjewishnews.org/articles/2008/01/18/community/editor/hdet0118.txt. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  5. ^ a b c Sterling, Joe (May 31, 2009). "A Black Woman's Journey to the Rabbinate in North Carolina". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/05/21/north.carolina.black.rabbi/. Retrieved September 1, 2010. 
  6. ^ a b Brand, Rachel (May 2, 2002). "Rocky Road to the Rabbinate". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. http://www.jewishjournal.com/community/article/rocky_road_to_the_rabbinate_20020503/. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  7. ^ Cornwell, Lisa (May 29, 2009). "1st Black Female Rabbi to Be Ordained in US". The Plain Dealer. http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-7/1243621228326380.xml&storylist=new_topstories. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  8. ^ a b Birkner, Gabrielle (May 18, 2009). "Black Female Rabbi to Ascend to North Carolina Pulpit". The Forward. http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/106203/. Retrieved October 20, 2010. 
  9. ^ Musleah, Rahel (Winter 2007). "One People Many Faces". Jewish Woman. http://www.bechollashon.org/media/news/12-00-2007.php. Retrieved October 20, 2010. 
  10. ^ Ain, Stewart (May 20, 2009). "Pulpit of Color". The Jewish Week. http://www.thejewishweek.com/features/pulpit_color. Retrieved October 20, 2010. 
  11. ^ a b Davis, Merlene (May 26, 2009). "Ready to Be First Black Female Rabbi". Lexington Herald-Leader. http://www.kentucky.com/139/story/808123.html. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  12. ^ O'Malley, Michael (May 21, 2009). "Alysa Stanton Will Be the First Ever Black Female Rabbi". The Plain Dealer. http://www.cleveland.com/religion/index.ssf/2009/05/alysa_stanton_will_be_the_firs.html. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  13. ^ Fishkoff, Sue (May 6, 2008). "On Track to be First Black Female Rabbi". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. http://jta.org/news/article/2008/05/06/108413/StantonOgulnick. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  14. ^ Friedman, Emily (May 21, 2009). "Alysa Stanton Becomes First Female Black Rabbi". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7639090. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
  15. ^ Birkner, Gabrielle (January 5, 2011). "Alysa Stanton, First Black Female Rabbi, Will Leave N.C. Congregation". The Jewish Daily Forward. http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/134486/. Retrieved October 12, 2011. 

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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