I am myself. I fit and don't fit many labels , but a favorite that I do fit is this: I am a delight of the Shekinah. I am created and am constantly co-creating myself, to serve you. I am asking for co-creation help from you, to begin.

I was accepted as an incoming rabbinical student to the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, at the American Jewish University , in Los Angeles, CA, in the spring of 2015. This happened about three weeks before I would have needed to be on campus to begin school. Logistically, the turn around was not possible for me, and so the acceptance committee granted me the option of deferral for a year. This fall, Holy Blessing One willing and with your help, I will begin studying with this amazing group of students and teachers, many of whom are future and current rabbis. 

When the decision was made to defer a year, I vowed to turn it into a formation year. Out of love and willingness to serve, I asked Jews and non-Jews, friends, family, teachers, current rabbis, and really anyone who would listen this question: What qualities and what skills should a rabbi possess? 

Yes, I crowdsourced my formation year.

Then, when I got all kinds of incredible replies, I really made it my task to get busy with the doing and learning and being of these things.

It was important to many of you that a rabbi be a leader by example. 
You told me to continue to stand up for justice,


So I continued to stand up and be counted.

I stood up in silent, peaceful protest against the Idaho legislature's refusal to acknowledge the right of all Idahoans, including those falling into LGBT categories,  to food, lodging, jobs, and respect. I stood up against bullying, and suicides, and inequality, and was arrested for it, out of love.

It was suggested that even though I am extremely reserved regarding public speaking, it is a useful skill. You told me to speak,


So, I spoke. I spoke at an Interfaith retreat regarding kind and fair treatment of refugees. I gave my first Dvar Torah on Parshat Pinchas (not an easy task!) I led a learning session at Selichot. I taught the Yom Kippur afternoon study session. I counseled potential converts to the Jewish faith. I spoke at the Idaho Statehouse regarding LGBT fair treatment under state law. I spoke out about gun violence. I spoke up for the rights of our local population currently experiencing homelessness. I spoke even when my voice shook, out of love.

You told me to read,


So I read the things you suggested and then some.

In the past year, I read thousands and thousands of pages of philosophical, spiritual, and theological books. I read how-to Jewish handbooks. I read Ashkenazi cookbooks. I read works by and about Hasidic masters. I read Yiddish folktakes. I read early Zionist works. I read novels and books in gender studies and history books and pastoral counseling books and siddurim. I read even when I was tired of reading, out of love.   

You told me to gain in my understanding of Hebrew, as one of the most fundamental of all the building blocks in making a teacher is understanding what you teach. I have done what I could this past year with what I have.

Sitting with the children wasn't beneath Rabbi Akiva, and so it wasn't beneath me either. I colored letters and learned the Aleph-Bet by singing. I stumbled through sounding out words until one day I glanced down at the book and didn't sound out but actually read "שַׁבָּת‎". From that time, my learning picked up and I began gaining new vocabulary fairly rapidly. Unfortunately, the ability for me to learn Hebrew while living in Idaho, where we have very few Jews, and even fewer who read or speak Hebrew, is severely limited. Here is where I need your help.
 
To prepare me to even begin rabbinic study, I need a  LOT more Hebrew. I need an ulpan.  Middlebury College, in Vermont, has an incredible intensive summer language program, which fits my needs exactly. With this in mind, I applied to this program, and was accepted! 

I've recently received word that I am the recipient of a large grant from Middlebury, a mixture of need-based and merit-based funding, which will cover around 3/4 of my tuition for the summer program. I still need help with the following expenses: the remainder of tuition for the program, room and board on campus at Middlebury for the 7 weeks I will be there, and travel expenses. The program runs from July 1st to August 19th, but I need to have fees paid by the beginning of June.

Even with the help from the school, I will not be able to attend unless the remainder is covered. 

If, by incredible generosity and some miracle, this campaign raises more than the amount specified above (which is the absolute minimum amount I need to raise), the remainder will be applied to school expenses for this fall.

All along this past year (and these many years in consideration) what I've strived to do is to be myself, to build myself, to create myself to be best of service, out of love for HaShem, and for you (yes, you!). It's terribly hard to ask for assistance in this form. However, many of you have expressed that you would like to help in some way. This, tangibly, is a way to show love returned. Due to multiple factors that have come up since applying, it is nearly impossible for me to cover the cost of this program on my own. However, it is absolutely necessary if I am going on in this journey.  Please, and thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Your donation will make a huge difference.

Thank you to all who believe in me, and all who pray for me. Thank you to all who realize the incredible amount of work, time, and desire that goes into an undertaking like the Rabbinate. And thank you to all who are able to help with funding, even with a small amount. Hebrew is the cornerstone of the entire program, and your assistance will make setting it possible.

May God bless you and keep you. May you experience pure joy in the details of life and language. May you be fulfilled. 

In Service and Hope and Love,

Aryeh Chris Einhorn  
אריה ב אברהם ושרה