Thanks to generous funding from the Institute for Liberal Jewish Studies Fund, CJEL’s Belonging project is excited to welcome Rabbi Becky Silverstein (pronouns he/him/his) to visit Buffalo virtually in June of 2021. Rabbi Becky identifies as a gender queer, trans, Rabbi who uses both his birth name (Becky) and he/him/his pronouns. Rabbi Becky is well known for teaching from a place of personal experience and truth, to make the vocabulary of gender and sexuality accessible.

Rabbi Becky holds a B.S. in Engineering from Smith College and Rabbinic Ordination from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. After ordination, Rabbi Silverstein served at Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, where he was the first out transgender rabbi to be hired by a Conservative Synagogue. Rabbi Becky currently serves as the Jewish Spiritual Advisor at Northeastern University, Program Manager at the Boston Teen Beit Midrash, serves on the board of Keshet, and as the Chair of The Jewish Studio Project and SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva. We are excited to share with Jewish Buffalo his diversity in voice, perspective, and his queer approach to studying Jewish text. Rabbi Becky is married to Naomi Sobel and is the proud parent of Edie.

If you would like more information about Rabbi Becky’s visit, contact Mike Steklof at mike@buffalojewishfederation.org

CJEL’s Belonging vision is for all Jews, their friends and Life partners of other faiths, and people exploring Judaism to feel welcome to participate in Jewish living and learning experiences to the extent of their abilities and interest, and to find a space of belonging in Jewish Buffalo regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ability.