Esther and the Power of the Female

The Book of Esther, one of only two biblical books named for women, reveals two compelling female figures, Esther and Vashti. During this pre-Purim Rosh Chodesh celebration, participants will explore what the book has to say about being a woman and a Jew, and determine what lasting lessons the story has for Jewish women today.

Rabbi Sarah Wolf has been at Congregation Beth Am since 2008. In addition to her pastoral and pulpit duties, she oversees the adult education program, teaches a popular Talmud class and an adult b'nai mitzvah class. She also serves as the staff liaison to  the Interfaith Outreach Committee. Rabbi Sarah was born and raised in Santa Fe, N.M. She attended Amherst College in Massachusetts and graduated summa cum laude in 2003 with a degree in religion. In 2008, Rabbi Sarah was ordained at the New York campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. During her tenure at HUC, Rabbi Sarah served congregations in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Bluefield, W.Va.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Lake Norman, N.C. She also worked as a teaching and research assistant to Dr. Eugene Borowitz, one of the leading theologians of the Reform movement. In addition, she completed her chaplaincy training at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and worked as a summer intern with Reform Judaism's Commission on Social Action. In her spare time, Rabbi Sarah loves movies, singing, northern New Mexican food, reading Jewish texts in Aramaic and People magazine. Rosh Chodesh is a program of Beth Am Women. For more information about this event, contact Ellen Stromberg.