Westfield Welcomes Rabbi Glazer

Starting her search for a full time rabbinical position last year with her graduation from Hebrew Union College, Erin Glazer had several criteria in what she wanted in a synagogue.

She was looking for something in the New York metropolitan area—her fiance, rabbinical student Joseph Skloot, is about to start a Ph.D. program at Columbia University—she wanted an active town and she wanted a religious community that was active.

"I wanted a place that was really alive," Glazer said of her search. "That has a congregation of people who are invested in the community. I wanted a clergy team."

In a process similar to the match program that new doctors go through for a residency, Glazer met with various synagogues in the metropolitan area looking for the perfect fit. Finishing the process, and being matched with Temple Emanu-El in Westfield, Glazer believes she has found a workplace and community which meets all of her needs.

Glazer, a Richmond, VA, native who will be the temple's assistant rabbi, started rabbinical school following three years of working in social justice-related positions in Washington, D.C., following college. This included time with the Religious Action Center and with the National Council of Jewish Women, where she worked on a variety of public policy issues. Following her time there she decided to become a rabbi because she saw the career as a way to combine her intense interest in the Jewish faith with her interest in social justice.

Glazer, who lived in Israel for two years, has an intense interest in the intersection of modern society and faith. While at Hebrew Union College, she focused many of her studies on this issue. It is one she wants to move forward with in her work in Westfield.

"In general, I am fascinated with the way we as contemporary Jews interpet the ancient texts," Glazer said. "I think that can be done through different types of study. Part of it is my social justice work where I see myself as part of the world today. I am part of a tradition that has said I should find ways to connect with the world."

She sees a strong commitment to this type of work at Temple Emanu-El. She noted the synagogue has six to seven Shabbot services each year called Hallelu services. These services blend the traditional texts with a lively contemporary setting including live music. She said she would like to get more involved with these types of programs and find new ways to incorporate modern society into the synagogue.

At Temple Emanu-El, Glazer will be working on a variety of programs. She will be involved with all pulpit-related activities along with working with pastoral care programs and confirmation-related activities. She will be in charge of a program providing bar and bat mitzvah classes to adults who were not bar or bat mitzvahed as teens. She will also be working with Home First, an interfaith homeless initiative with which the temple is involved. She said her top priority for her first year will be to connect with the members of the congregation. She said the congregation has been welcoming since she started on July 1.

"It's been great," Glazer said of her welcome. "The congregation has been really warm. There are three different coffee meet-and-greets to meet me and my fiance and welcome us. We had the first one and it was a great success."

Outside of getting to know the congregation, Glazer said she and Skloot have been enjoying getting to know Westfield. She said that while it is a change from living in Manhattan she finds it very similar as well.

"It's great, we had been living in Manhattan and it's different," Glazer said. "It's nice to be in a place where people take pride in the town. There is a lot of life. People are really a part of what is going on. It feels very familiar coming from New York."