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2026 RRC Online Institute for Prospective Rabbinical Students
Sunday, November 8
 

12:00pm EST

Opening Session: Welcome and Program Overview
Sunday November 8, 2026 12:00pm - 1:05pm EST


Moderators
avatar for Rabbi Melissa Heller (RRC '08)

Rabbi Melissa Heller (RRC '08)

Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Melissa Heller is the Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. In this role, she has the great privilege of supporting prospective rabbinical students as they discern and enact their visions of service and leadership for the Jewish... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Rabbi Rayna Grossman (RRC '17)

Rabbi Rayna Grossman (RRC '17)

Director of Field Education, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Rayna Grossman (they/them) is deeply moved and compelled by the aspect of service in being a rabbi. Their journey to the rabbinate lies in recognizing the power of Judaism, spirituality and amazing rabbis.

As director of field education, Rayna oversees students’ on-the-job training, ensuring that future rabbis are prepared to serve in a variety of settings and communities. RRC’s new field education program, which began in academic year 2023-24, centers on immersive fieldwork opportunities... Read More →
avatar for Rabbi Deborah Waxman (RRC '99)

Rabbi Deborah Waxman (RRC '99)

President and CEO, Reconstructing Judaism
THE FIRST WOMAN RABBI to head a Jewish congregational union and a Jewish seminary, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., became president and chief executive officer of Reconstructing Judaism in 2014. Reconstructing Judaism is the central organization of the Reconstructionist Movement. She... Read More →
avatar for Holly Smith

Holly Smith

Year 2 Student, Intern for Admissions, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Holly Smith (she/her) is a Year 2 student who completed the Mekhinah Program to begin her studies at RRC. Holly was born and raised in San Francisco and earned her B.A. in Feminist Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz. Before pursuing rabbinical school, she worked... Read More →
avatar for Rabbi Mira Wasserman

Rabbi Mira Wasserman

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Rabbinic Literature, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Mira Beth Wasserman brings her background as a congregational rabbi and as a scholar of Talmud and Jewish ethics to the leadership team for Reconstructing Judaism. As dean of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she is responsible for enacting RRC’s curriculum, for supporting... Read More →
Sunday November 8, 2026 12:00pm - 1:05pm EST
  About RRC

1:30pm EST

Meet the RRC Students
Sunday November 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EST


Moderators
avatar for Holly Smith

Holly Smith

Year 2 Student, Intern for Admissions, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Holly Smith (she/her) is a Year 2 student who completed the Mekhinah Program to begin her studies at RRC. Holly was born and raised in San Francisco and earned her B.A. in Feminist Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz. Before pursuing rabbinical school, she worked... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Lucy Berman

Lucy Berman

Year 1 student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Lucy Berman (they/them) is in their first year at RRC as a mekhinah student. They come to rabbinical studies by way of community organizing and advocacy in Providence, Rhode Island. They graduated from Brown University in 2019 with a degree in religious studies and approach their... Read More →
avatar for Adina Ikeman

Adina Ikeman

Year 2 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Adina Ikeman (she/her) is a second year student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. A Hebrew school dropout, she found connection to Jewish tradition and spirituality while meditating in the Negev desert, wrestling with text at The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem... Read More →
avatar for Jodi Rosenfeld

Jodi Rosenfeld

Year 4 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Jodi Rosenfeld (she/her), who is in year four, came to rabbinical school after being a practicing psychologist for two decades. Originally a New Englander, Jodi has lived near Valley Forge, PA since 2005. Her internship experiences include a combination of senior living and congregational... Read More →
Sunday November 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm EST
  Conversations & Connections

3:00pm EST

Choose Your Own Civilizational Adventure: Faculty Text Study
Sunday November 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Join us for a choose your own civilizational adventure text study with our RRC Faculty.  Below you'll find the descriptions of each text study you can pick from:Dr. Amanda Mbuvi: Multifaith studiesInterfaith dialogue in Things Fall Apart We’ll look at an excerpt from Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart that complicates the distinction between monotheism and polytheism, reflecting on...
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Moderators
avatar for Rabbi Mira Wasserman

Rabbi Mira Wasserman

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Rabbinic Literature, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Mira Beth Wasserman brings her background as a congregational rabbi and as a scholar of Talmud and Jewish ethics to the leadership team for Reconstructing Judaism. As dean of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she is responsible for enacting RRC’s curriculum, for supporting... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Rabbi William Plevan (JTS '02)

Rabbi William Plevan (JTS '02)

Assistant Professor of Contemporary Thought, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Dr. William Plevan is Assistant Professor of Contemporary Jewish Thought at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College where he is director of its Israel program and served as the 2023-24 Democracy Fellow. He writes and teaches on contemporary Jewish theology, ethics, and political... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Beckenstein Mbuvi, Ph.D.

Amanda Beckenstein Mbuvi, Ph.D.

Teaching Fellow; Director of the Center for Jewish Ethics, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Amanda Beckenstein Mbuvi, Ph.D., is a scholar and teacher with expertise in Tanakh, ethics, and multifaith studies, and a special interest in the way stories shape communal identity. In addition to serving as the Director of the Center for Jewish Ethics, she also helps students with... Read More →
Sunday November 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
  Class or Text Study

4:30pm EST

Affording your RRC Education: How Students from Diverse Backgrounds Make it Work
Sunday November 8, 2026 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST


Speakers
avatar for Rabbi Amber Powers (RRC '02)

Rabbi Amber Powers (RRC '02)

Executive Vice President, Reconstructing Judaism
Rabbi Amber Powers (she/her), RRC ’02, serves as Executive Vice President of Reconstructing Judaism. Her work focuses on internal leadership and management, including supervision of the senior staff, organizational and financial strategy and workplace culture. She also administers... Read More →
Sunday November 8, 2026 4:30pm - 5:15pm EST
  Financing Your Education

5:45pm EST

Meet the Rabbis: Panel and Conversation with RRC Grads
Sunday November 8, 2026 5:45pm - 7:00pm EST
Moderators
avatar for Rabbi Melissa Heller (RRC '08)

Rabbi Melissa Heller (RRC '08)

Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Melissa Heller is the Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. In this role, she has the great privilege of supporting prospective rabbinical students as they discern and enact their visions of service and leadership for the Jewish... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Rabbi Marisa Elana James (RRC '16)

Rabbi Marisa Elana James (RRC '16)

Director of Social Justice Programming, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
Rabbi Marisa Elana James (she/her/hers) is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and a long-time member of the CBST community. Before rabbinical school, Marisa was a college English teacher, competitive ballroom dancer, insurance broker, student pilot, bookstore manager, and professional... Read More →
avatar for Rabbi Beryl Trauth-Jurman (RRC '24)

Rabbi Beryl Trauth-Jurman (RRC '24)

Assistant Director, Virgina Tech Hillel
Rabbi Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.
avatar for Sandra Lawson

Sandra Lawson

Executive Director, Carolina Jews for Justice
Rabbi Sandra Lawson (she/her/hers) is a nationally recognized leader, visionary strategist, and community builder working at the intersection of Judaism, justice, and community transformation. As the Executive Director of Carolina Jews for Justice (CJJ), she brings her passion for equity, her commitment... Read More →
Sunday November 8, 2026 5:45pm - 7:00pm EST
  Conversations & Connections
 
Monday, November 9
 

8:45am EST

Monday Morning Torah Study
Monday November 9, 2026 8:45am - 9:15am EST
Join us for Monday Morning Torah Study! Monday Morning Torah Study is a valued piece of spiritual and community life at RRC, giving students and faculty a chance to come together and study a piece of that week’s Torah portion. Together we will read a small piece of this week’s parsha (Chayei Sara) and some commentary with lots of time for open discussion on what these raise for us and our...
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Moderators
avatar for Nora Chernov

Nora Chernov

Year 6 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Nora Chernov (she/her) is a student in year 6 of 7 at RRC. Nora grew up on Long Island and has worked at multiple Hillels and Synagogues before and during her time as a rabbinical student.   She currently serves as the Intern for Community Life at RRC, supporting the RRC community... Read More →
Monday November 9, 2026 8:45am - 9:15am EST

9:45am EST

Resources & Strategies for Learning Hebrew before Rabbinical School
Monday November 9, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EST


Speakers
avatar for Tamar Kamionkowski, Ph.D.

Tamar Kamionkowski, Ph.D.

Professor of Biblical Studies, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Tamar Kamionkowski joined RRC’s faculty in 1997. Her lifelong passion has been bridging the worlds of biblical scholarship and contemporary Jewish life. She encourages her students to develop a life-long relationship with biblical texts and to read text through many lenses. Kamionkowski... Read More →
Monday November 9, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EST
  Conversations & Connections

11:00am EST

Co-creating Community through a Reconstructionist Framework- Text Study and Conversation about RRC’s Values and Culture
Monday November 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Community is a central piece of Jewish life, including in rabbinic formation. In this session, we will study some Torah about the sacred role of community with Rabbi Alex Weissman and hear from students on the leadership of the Reconstructionist Student Association, and about how we enact our commitments to community.


Moderators
avatar for Rabbi Alex Weissman (RRC '17)

Rabbi Alex Weissman (RRC '17)

Director of Community Life and Mekhinah, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
As director of the mekhinah (preparation) program, Rabbi Alex Weissman mentors emerging religious leaders by immersing in Hebrew language, Jewish liturgy, texts and practice, to support them to thrive in rabbinic school and beyond.

In his dual role as Director of Community Life... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Annie Prusky

Annie Prusky

Year 3 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Annie grew up in Philly, studied Sociocultural Linguistics at Brown and now lives in Manayunk with her husband Dayton and their five-month-old, Zev Mathieu. She's a third-year student at the RRC and works as a Jewish educator for Moishe House and Bruchim. In the last few years, she's... Read More →
avatar for Holly Smith

Holly Smith

Year 2 Student, Intern for Admissions, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Holly Smith (she/her) is a Year 2 student who completed the Mekhinah Program to begin her studies at RRC. Holly was born and raised in San Francisco and earned her B.A. in Feminist Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz. Before pursuing rabbinical school, she worked... Read More →
Monday November 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
  Class or Text Study

12:30pm EST

Field Education, Internships and Supervision: Student Panel and Discussion Groups
Monday November 9, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm EST
Noah Dor Lind - Congregation Model 1
Emma Fischer - Campus
Bridget Siegel-Fultz - Education and Camp
Lucy Berman - Social Justice
Moderators
avatar for Rabbi Rayna Grossman (RRC '17)

Rabbi Rayna Grossman (RRC '17)

Director of Field Education, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Rayna Grossman (they/them) is deeply moved and compelled by the aspect of service in being a rabbi. Their journey to the rabbinate lies in recognizing the power of Judaism, spirituality and amazing rabbis.

As director of field education, Rayna oversees students’ on-the-job training, ensuring that future rabbis are prepared to serve in a variety of settings and communities. RRC’s new field education program, which began in academic year 2023-24, centers on immersive fieldwork opportunities... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Lucy Berman

Lucy Berman

Year 1 student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Lucy Berman (they/them) is in their first year at RRC as a mekhinah student. They come to rabbinical studies by way of community organizing and advocacy in Providence, Rhode Island. They graduated from Brown University in 2019 with a degree in religious studies and approach their... Read More →
avatar for Emma Fischer

Emma Fischer

Year 4 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Emma Fischer (she/her) is a fourth year student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA. Originally from Nashville, TN, Emma earned a Bachelor’s degree in Religion and Social Justice at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA, where she wrote her undergraduate thesis... Read More →
avatar for Noah Dor Lind

Noah Dor Lind

Year 5 student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Noah Dor Lind (they/them) is a rabbinic student, artist, and storyteller. Their Torah is decolonial, abolitionist, queer, and earth-centered. Noah is passionate about eco-burial, the agricultural cycles of Jewish life, and trans halakhah. They teach art-making as a spiritual practice... Read More →
avatar for Bridget Siegel-Fultz

Bridget Siegel-Fultz

Year 5 student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Hi all! My name is Bridget Siegel-Fultz and I'm a fifth year (out of seven) Rabbinic Student at RRC. I grew up in Florida and moved to Philly to start my rabbinic career. I have a passion for teaching and creating Jewish stories with youth and families. Currently, I am in the Advanced... Read More →
Monday November 9, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm EST
  About RRC

3:45pm EST

Opportunities for Spiritual Growth at RRC: Student Panel and Conversation
Monday November 9, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST


Moderators
avatar for Rabbi Alex Weissman (RRC '17)

Rabbi Alex Weissman (RRC '17)

Director of Community Life and Mekhinah, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
As director of the mekhinah (preparation) program, Rabbi Alex Weissman mentors emerging religious leaders by immersing in Hebrew language, Jewish liturgy, texts and practice, to support them to thrive in rabbinic school and beyond.

In his dual role as Director of Community Life... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Marques Hollie

Marques Hollie

Year 3 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Marques Hollie (they/he) is an operatically-trained vocalist, ritual leader, and theatre-maker, who has been telling (and singing!) stories for as long he can remember. He began singing professionally in the late aughts, and after a particularly meaningful Passover seder, began a... Read More →
avatar for Molly Schulman

Molly Schulman

Year 4 Student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Molly Schulman (she/her) is currently serving as the Student Rabbi at Kolot Chayeinu in Brooklyn, NY. She comes to the rabbinate by way of community organizing. After graduating from Tufts University with a degree in American Studies in 2016, Molly found her way into values-aligned... Read More →
avatar for Erin Viola

Erin Viola

Year 3 student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Erin Viola (she/they) is in her third year at RRC. She serves Congregation Beth Am Israel as their Rabbinic Intern, where she leads musical and spiritually enriching services, crafts adult and children's outdoor Jewish education, and provides pastoral care for the community. Erin... Read More →
avatar for Jesse Weil

Jesse Weil

Year 2 student, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Jesse Weil (he/him) is an artist and educator currently studying at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical college. After graduating from Brown University, Jesse found opportunities to develop his work as a writer and performer on stages all over the country.  He has been able to bring... Read More →
Monday November 9, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm EST
  About RRC

5:00pm EST

Closing Program
Monday November 9, 2026 5:00pm - 5:30pm EST


Speakers
avatar for Rabbi Melissa Heller (RRC '08)

Rabbi Melissa Heller (RRC '08)

Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Melissa Heller is the Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. In this role, she has the great privilege of supporting prospective rabbinical students as they discern and enact their visions of service and leadership for the Jewish... Read More →
avatar for Holly Smith

Holly Smith

Year 2 Student, Intern for Admissions, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Holly Smith (she/her) is a Year 2 student who completed the Mekhinah Program to begin her studies at RRC. Holly was born and raised in San Francisco and earned her B.A. in Feminist Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz. Before pursuing rabbinical school, she worked... Read More →
Monday November 9, 2026 5:00pm - 5:30pm EST
  Conversations & Connections
 

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