“Who is wise? One who learns from every person, as it is said: ‘From all who taught me have I gained understanding … .’ ” (Tehillim 119:99)
— Pirkei Avot 4:1
איזהו חכם? הלומד מכל ענינים שעברו על האדם
“Who is wise? One who learns from everything that happens to them.”
— Eliezer Tzvi Safrin of Komarno on Pirkei Avot 4:1
B. Epstein grew up in Lincoln, Mass., on Nipmuc and Wampanoag land. During their time at RRC, B. served as the rabbinic intern at Haverford College, Lions Gate Continuing Care Retirement Community and Reconstructionist affiliated Congregation Dorshei Tzedek. Prior to rabbinical school, B. worked for more than 10 years in LGBTQ community mental health on issues ranging from domestic violence and sexual assault, to primary care medicine and aging and older adult community. B. received their B.A. in Religious Studies from Pomona College.
בכל מקום שגלו שכינה עמהן
“Every place to which they were exiled, shekhinah went with them.”
— Megillah 29a
Somewhere on the outskirts of halakhic practice, where the stone wall of what our ancestors built becomes less legible, more piecemeal, overgrown by the meadow that surrounds it, you can find B.’s Judaism. Embodying a mix of frum-at-heart, queer art of failure and זורם לתשובה (taking on obligation gradually rather than all at once), their flavor of galus sensibility is one that yearns for Tzion, even as it affirms the dignity of Diaspora. B.’s Judaism also bears the indelible marks of their East Coast transcendentalist upbringing, and the Irish Celtic sense of magic and mischief that they get from their mother’s side.
“Do I contradict myself? Very well then. I am large, I contain Multitudes.”
— Walt Whitman
As a rabbi, B.’s avodah lies in supporting the transmission of Judaism l’dor v’dor, as our peoples’ ancient and sacred practice for cultivating our sense of Mystery, stewarding its presence in our lives and honoring the sacred connection it offers between all of creation, and all that lies beyond.
B. is deeply grateful for their friends, family, hevrutahs and teachers whose loving support has brought them to this moment. They are especially grateful to their family, Pat O’Malley, Arnold Epstein, Tatiana Benavides, Katie and Elicia Epstein; their teacher, Reb Karen Redgreene; their partner, Batya Levine; and, of course, their dog, Me’od.
To my fellow graduates, I offer you this Jewish twist on an Irish blessing:
“May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May HaShem hold you in the hollow of Their hand.”
