Welcome to the RRA Rabbinic Marketplace

A workshop that I offer as part of a scholar-in-residence visit, as a 1-time session, or a multi-session. I do several things:

• offer a solid grounding in what Midrash is and how it works, using unique visuals to make this work for English-only students as well as those who have some Hebrew skills
• offer some historical context for midrash as a popular set of interpretive methods during the late 2nd Temple period, including among early Jesus groups & Jewish-Christians
• present concrete examples of midrashic features one can find in selected NT writings
• build a sense of mutual appreciation and deepened understanding between Jews and Christians
• I've taught this material to synagogue groups, church groups, and interfaith / mixed groups, and I consistently get good feedback. 

Visit: www.theaccidentalrabbi.wordpress.com

Email: mauricedharris@gmail.com

Chevre, I'm the editor of one book and the author of two others, all of which are out of print and available at deep discounts from my (nice dry) garage. The Jewish Woman's Book of Wisdom is a 1998 collection of short writings by women across 500 years (including our own Sandy Sasso, Sheila Peltz Weinberg, and Shefa Gold). It's a small-format bedside kind of book, great for gifts. Embracing the Stranger (1995 and still relevant) is a well-researched book on intermarriage. And if there's a middle-school kid in your life, check out No Big Deal, a 1994 novel with a Jewish protagonist about a gay teacher outed at a suburban junior high school. You can order from my website through Alibris or email me for a break on shipping multiple copies.

Visit: www.ellenjaffegill.com/the-jewish-womanrsquos-book-of-wisdom.html , www.ellenjaffegill.com/embracing-the-stranger.html , www.ellenjaffegill.com/no-big-deal.html

Email: rabbicantorejg@gmail.com

During my eleven years at Vassar College, I worked with students, faculty and staff to develop a thriving Jewish life program. I also had the opportunity to visit dozens of Jewish life programs; co-lead workshops and presentations on the role of religious life in academia; and participate in chaplaincy audits.

I now serve as a consultant to chaplains and Jewish life professionals who are seeking ways to strengthen Jewish life on their campuses. I am available for both Skype consultations and campus visits. Please feel free to contact me for an introductory phone call to discuss how I can help you grow a vibrant Jewish life program on your campus!

Visit: www.renablumenthal.com

Email: renablumenthal@gmail.com

I've been a copy editor since age 17 on the college newspaper and have done editorial work part-time and full-time ever since, working on everything from an afternoon daily to full-length memoirs. If all you need is a careful read for punctuation and spelling, I catch pretty much everything. And if you need a deeper edit and/or help with style and flow, I can assist there too. Let me know how I can help.

Visit: www.ellenjaffegill.com/

Email: rabbicantorejg@gmail.com

Seven Dish Seder Plate.  Do you put an orange or other creative item on your seder plate?  Do you want a place for it?  Now you can have a beautiful hand-turned wooden seder plate with seven small dishes, each fitting its own spot.  The plate is 13-14 inches across.

Hand-turned Torah Yad.  This beautiful yad is available in light or dark wood and makes a lovely gift for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or for a Baal/Baalat Koreh.  A line of Hebrew and/or English can be laser inscribed on lighter woods.

As with most hand-made items, each is unique.  Please allow 6 weeks for delivery.

For more information contact Rabbi Michael Remson, Woodturner, at ravremson@sbcglobal.net or 630-254-4430.

Email: ravremson@sbcglobal.net

JEWEL: Jewish Educational Wisdom, Experience & Leadership is the educational consulting business of Jeff Eisenstat, Erin Hirsh and Sarah Messinger. We offer educational consultative support on a wide array of topics, coach individuals and offer professional development sessions to school faculties, camp staff and youth group leaders. Please also think of us if you have a curriculum project. We are happy to work with you remotely or to come lead programs or offer support to you and your community in person.

Jeff is the founding director of Camp JRF and Noar Hadash, Erin is the former Director of Congregational Education for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, and Sarah is a Reform "friend-of-the-family" who has worked on many Reconstructionist educational enterprises.

Visit: www.jewelconsulting.net

Email: rabbierinhirsh@gmail.com

Unique Judaica for home, workspace, sanctuary. Good for meditation, teaching, hiddur mitzvah.

Visit: versesilluminated.com

Email: RabbiMeirah@gmail.com

My co-edited anthology, Struggling in Good Faith: LGBTQI Inclusion from 13 American Religious Perspectives, is a multifaceted source book telling the story of reconciliation, celebration and struggle for LGBTQI inclusion across the American religious landscape.  This easily accessible book explores thirteen faith traditions that wrestle with LGBTQI inclusion, documenting the challenges and transformation of American religion. Contributors—LGBTQI and allied activists, scholars and clergy—write from an inside perspective about their communities. 

I am available for speaking engagements, book groups, or however you wish to bring this conversation to your community.

Visit: strugglingingoodfaith.com/ , mychalcopeland.com , www.interfaithfamily.com/

Email: rabbimychal@gmail.com

Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael has musical roots in Tennnessee: the spirit of gospel; the sense of humor of country;the depth of the blues and a heart of soul. She  is an awardwinning singer/songwriter in Hebrew and English  and performs around North America. She has released three solo recordings and 3 with MIRAJ.

 Bring Rabbi Rayzel to your community for a Shabbat service, workshop or concert - or all of the above! She can work solo, with your choir, or with a back up band. Her music is easily singable and fun. It an experience you won't forget.

Visit: www.shechinah.com/soul-gospel-shabbos.html , www.shechinah.com/friday-night-revived.html , www.shechinah.com/kabbalah-the-musical.html

Email: rrayzel@shechinah.com

Rabbi Rayzel Raphael is a visionary artist with soul. An "unorthodox" rabbi, she teaches about " the Jewish Mysteries" - angels, dreams, kabbalah, and more. Her gift is bringing the esoteric to light as entertainment. Geela Rayzel originally hails from Tennessee and is an award winning songwriter/liturgist with five recordings to her credit. She is a freelance teacher and ritual maker and is guided by her angels in service.

Rabbi by day, Reb Rayzel, has a private practice in the Philadelphia area where she counsels families and spiritual seekers. Her most recent creation is a deck of papercut Shechinah Oracle cards researched from Jewish text and tradition. For more information visit www.shechinah.com

Visit: www.shechinah.com

Email: rrayzel@shechinah.com

Rabbi Doug Heifetz creates original metalwork Judaica, jewelry and decor. His main materials are reclaimed metal objects, especially vintage silver flatware. He works to showcase surprising transformations, and to make upcycling irresistible.

He creates each new piece by hand, meticulously reworking the reclaimed metal objects through numerous metalsmith techniques.

He works under the business name Lost & Forged, exhibiting his pieces at numerous art shows, galleries and in his online store (www.lostandforged.com). He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Visit: www.lostandforged.com

Email: douglasheifetz@gmail.com

Rabbi Kevin Hale, Sofer Stam Torah Scribe.

Writing, Repair, Appraisal, Sales of torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah, Megilah, Ketubot. Educational programs. Scholar-in-residence.

Based in Western Massachusetts,  I trained under Rabbi Dr Eric Ray (1926-2005), a master scribe who was a foremost authority on the different styles and techniques of Torah writing across the world and over millennia. The primary focus of my work is in the evaluation and restoration of torah scrolls, and especially the 200+ year-old "Holocaust" scrolls belonging to the Czech Memorial Scrolls Trust.  I also engage in extensive teaching about our sacred scribal tradition, with an emphasis on the hands-on imperative of the 613th commandment, "And Now, Write This Song for Yourselves...".

Visit: www.assiyah.com , mjhstaff.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-sacred-gift-for-auschwitz-jewish.html , czechscrolls.blogspot.com/2015/10/siyum-for-mst-655-in-sharon-ma.html

Email: soferhale@gmail.com

Rabbi Rayzel Raphael has has been painting tallitot, huppahs, and wall hangings for over 25 years.  She also leads silk painting workshops for individuals and groups.

 " I love making special occasion tallitot, huppahs, and others items such as scarves for teachers or  to celebrate special life cycle occasions.  My favorite projects are Bar and Bat Mitzvah tallitot and can lead you to paint your own. The silk has a mind of its own and is a true reflection of the co-creative Divine process. Its all about surender and being in the flow"

Visit: www.shechinah.com/shechinah-silks.html , www.shechinah.com/paint-your-own.html

Email: rrayzel@shechinah.com

Margie Jacobs helps individuals to create a beautiful Wordpress website that is a reflection of their unique work. She is available to teach the skills for a do-it-yourself site, or to build a custom website. 

Visit: thewebsitecoach.com

Rabbi Rayzel Raphael is  specialist in life cycle rituals. She creates meaningful and joyous Jewish, interfaith, multicultural, same sex, and cross denominational weddings, as well as anniversary ceremonies and any other celebration of love. Each couple's wedding/commitment ceremony is unique and should reflect the personalities of the bride and groom.

"Let me help you create a soul binding ceremony resonating with the depth and joy of life's journey. I will coach you to create the wedding you want. 

I also love working with B'nai Mitzvah students to create a personalized ceremony. And of course baby namings are a delight as well to see the "fruit" of the wedding process. If you need a ritual for any other major life transitions,  or something that hasnt been invented yet, contact me!

Visit: www.interfaithjewishweddings.com , www.shechinah.com/bar-bat-mitzvahs.html , www.shechinah.com/funerals.html

Email: rrayel@shechinah.com

As a scholar-in-residence, I've facilitated shabbatonim and weekends across the U.S. for congregations, Federations, and women's groups. My areas of special focus are demographic issues and innovative Torah study, but I've often addressed various facets of women in Judaism and Jews in popular culture. Because I'm also a cantor, I can combine scholarship with music, and as a rabbi with a part-time pulpit, I'm available many weekends at different time of the year. Let me know what I can do for your institution!

Visit: www.ellenjaffegill.com/other-work.html

Email: rabbicantorejg@gmail.com