Rabbi jennifer S. gertman If we allow it to, Jewish text can inspire us and guide us, helping us to become the fullest human beings possible. Rabbi Jennifer S. Gertman was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. Throughout her life she was active and involved in her congregation and as a teen she took on leadership roles in NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth). She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religion from the University of Rochester and served as president of Hillel. Rabbi Gertman has a passion for education! She spent a post-graduate year at The Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Maryland, where she worked with 7th-11th grade students with special learning needs. She also created a 7th and 8th grade t’fillah curriculum for the middle school. As a first year rabbinic student, she studied at Hebrew Union College in Israel before moving to New York City to complete her studies. Rabbi Gertman was ordained in 2010 and earned a Master’s Degree in Religious Education from the Hebrew Union College in May of 2011. While working on her Master’s Degree, she was the upper school coordinator at Temple Shaaray Tefilah in New York City, where she oversaw professional and curriculum development. Rabbi Gertman brings a passion for Jewish education and youth engagement to Temple Israel. She wants the synagogue to feel like a “home away from home” for all of our members as it did for her. She finds wisdom and strength in Jewish tradition and wants to help others to do the same. Rabbi Gertman is extremely excited to move back to the midwest and join our clergy at Temple Israel. She is looking forward to getting to know our warm and welcoming congregation and she hopes that her time in Cleveland, OH and Rochester, NY have properly prepared her for the Minnesota winters!