Sandra Lawson
Sandra Lawson is a rabbi who serves as Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Elon University. She became the first openly homosexual, female, black rabbi in the world in 2018.[1][2] She is a veteran, vegan, sociologist, personal trainer, food activist, weightlifter, writer and musician.[3]
Lawson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in a military family.[1] Her family was a non-practicing Christian family.[4] Lawson graduated magna cum laude from Saint Leo University in Florida with a degree in sociology. She also holds a master's degree in sociology from Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.[1]
As a college student, Lawson came out as a lesbian and enlisted in the U.S. Army. In the army she served in military law enforcement working on child abuse and domestic violence cases.[4]
After graduating from college and leaving the military, she opened a personal training business. Through her client Rabbi Joshua Lesser, she came to discover Judaism and fell in love with Lesser's synagogue. She ultimately converted to Judaism.[4]
Lawson went on to serve as an investigative researcher for the Anti-Defamation League and later began rabbinical school at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.[5] She was the first African-American, and the first openly gay African-American accepted into the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which occurred in 2011.[4][6] She was ordained as a rabbi in 2018 and was hired by Elon University that year.[1]
Lawson has been noted for her efforts to teach Judaism in unique locations. As a rabbinical student, Lawson ran a Friday night service at Arnold’s Way, a vegan cafe and health store near Philadelphia.[5][7][8] She also has been noted for her efforts to teach by using social media and live video feeds.[7] Lawson has been described as "Snapchat’s Top Rabbi."[9]
References
- ^ a b c d "Rabbi Sandra Lawson named associate chaplain for Jewish life, Jewish educator at Hillel". E-Net! Elon University News & Information. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ "Elon Rabbi redefines religion". projects.elonnewsnetwork.com. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ Prihar, Asha. "A Personal Trainer, Vegan and Sociologist Walk into a Synagogue — Oh Wait, that's just Sandra Lawson". Yale Daily News. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ a b c d "Rabbi is latest of many titles for Philly woman". WHYY. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ a b Stern, Marissa (2018-06-20). "Rabbi Meets Jews Where They Are Today". Jewish Exponent. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ "Book Sandra Lawson for Speaking, Events and Appearances". APB Speakers. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
- ^ a b "Sandra Lawson, black lesbian vegan rabbinical student, hopes to redefine where Judaism happens". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ Holmes, Kristin E. "Breaking with tradition, rabbinical student does Shabbat service Arnold's Way". philly.com. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
- ^ "Snapchat's Top Rabbi". My Jewish Learning. 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2019-05-12.