In 2011-12 we once again have retained a student rabbi, Jay LeVine, to join us about once a month and for the High Holidays. We look forward to sharing our Congregation with him and learning from his new experiences. The Board hopes that each member/member family will take advantage of the opportunity to share Shabbat dinner with Rabbi Jay over the coming year.

I grew up in the small town of Willcox, somewhat close to Tucson, Arizona. My Jewish experiences as a youth were very family-oriented since there were no other Jews in the area besides my family. I have many fond memories of my brother (one year younger) and me struggling to read the "thees" and "thous" of our battered copy of the Union Songster prayer book every Saturday with our parents. When I approached Bar Mitzvah age my parents made the commitment to travel an hour and a half each way to Tucson every week so that I could attend synagogue regularly. Although this did not continue in high school, I reconnected with Temple Emanu-el of Tucson when I started college at the University of Arizona as a Judaic Studies and Finance double major. My parents' dedication to Judaism in a non-Jewish environment and my interest in all things Jewish led me to apply to rabbinic school directly after college. After gaining some experience leading services at the campus Hillel and a local retirement home, I was thrust into the intensity of living in Jerusalem as a full time rabbinic student this past year in my first year at Hebrew Union College. I do far too much Jewish reading, especially history, sacred texts, and religion/theology. Jewish music (and music in general) is also a passion of mine. During my year in Jerusalem I had the wonderful opportunity to audit several cantorial classes and work with a few cantorial students on composing settings to liturgy. When I'm not reading or doing something musical, I also enjoy a good game of chess, biking, running, tennis and hiking.