Kol Rinah will welcome Rabbi Elianna Yolkut for “Building Inclusive Communities: A Radically Welcoming Weekend” May 20-22. Yolkut is a “Rabbi Without Borders” (www.rabbiswithoutborders.org) who strives through challenging questions, innovative study and meaningful connection to help Jews at all life stages reach toward a deep understanding of and connection to Judaism. 

A St. Louis native, Yolkut is a writer and educator who seeks innovative models for religious community-building and dynamic ways to teach Torah. She will discuss her journey from Modern Orthodox girl to openly gay Conservative rabbi, and teach participants how to have difficult Jewish conversations with their children about taboo topics, and taking guests on “a walk with the subversive side of Judaism.” 

Ordained in 2006 by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, she was later an adjunct faculty member there while serving as assistant rabbi at the Conservative synagogue Adat Ari El in nearby Valley Village. She now lives with her partner and their young twins in Washington D.C. where she serves as a community rabbi teaching, speaking and writing for GW Hillel, Adas Israel, the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and many other community organizations. Beginning in the summer of 2016 Elianna will be a fellow in Shalom Hartman Rabbinic Leadership Institute.

She will discuss the power of being an inclusive community, Judaism and LGBT individuals, and Judaism and sexuality. 

Programming will include a Friday night dinner, Saturday morning lunch and learn, and Sunday teaching session for parents. This weekend of programming is free and open to the community, but there is a charge for Shabbat dinner, which also requires an RSVP. For a full list of events, visit kolrinahstl.org/inclusivecommunities.

For more information, contact Tasha Kaminsky at [email protected].