Originally from Minneapolis, MN, I was
ordained by the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College in Pennsylvania in 1985,
and that same year received a Master’s
degree in Pastoral Counseling from LaSalle
University. I have had a wonderfully varied
career serving in rabbinic, pastoral and
chaplaincy positions in many settings. I
have been honored to study with wonderful
teachers and colleagues, among them
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi,z’l, Rabbi
Rebecca Alpert, Rabbi Sheila Weinberg,
Rabbi Shefa Gold, Sylvia Boorstein, my
parents, Ruth F. Brin, z’l, Howard Brin, z’l,
Dr. Judith Plaskow and the members of
B’not Esh, a Jewish feminist spirituality
collective founded in 1981.
I was among the first 100 women to be
ordained as a rabbi in the United States. I
led the first women’s prayer service at the
Wall in Jerusalem, in 1988, and it was
because of what we did that day that the
Israeli government made it illegal for a
woman to sing aloud, wear a tallis (prayer
shawl) or read from the Torah at the Wall.
More than thirty years later, the Israeli
government and Women of the Wall are
still trying to work out a satisfactory way
for women to pray, sing, wear a tallis and
read from the Torah at the Wall. Among
the first generation of lesbian rabbis, I have
served congregations in Canada and the
U.S. and have held chaplaincy positions at a
college, a hospice, and at a Jewish life-care
retirement community. Wherever I have
gone and however I have been employed,
my dedication to Judaism is contagious. I
help Jews find their own gateways back to
their heritage and welcome their non-
Jewish partners, friends and extended
family with friendly explanations of our
ways.
I now work part time as a geriatric care
manager. My hours of availability for
rabbinic work are flexible depending on the
needs of my care management clients.
Please contact me and let me know how I
can be of service to you or your family.
Of all the privileges and duties that come
with being a rabbi, I feel most at home
creating meaningful life cycle events. From
baby-namings to funerals and everything
in between, it is a privilege to fashion
personalized ceremonies for people of all
ages, gender identities, and intimacy
constellations.
Rabbi Deborah J. Brin
Personalized Ceremonies, Rituals
& Pastoral Counseling
With Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z’l,
January 2006
Rabbi Deborah J. Brin • Personalized
Ceremonies, Rituals & Pastoral Counseling
©2020 Rabbi Deborah J. Brin