Resume

Rabbi Chaya Bender

CONGREGATIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Senior Rabbi, Bnai Israel Congregation, Wilmington, NC (2020-Present)

Assistant Rabbi and Youth Director, Temple Sholom, Greenwich, CT (2018-2020)

Senior Rabbinic Fellow and Youth Director, Temple Sholom, Greenwich, CT (2017-2018)

Rabbinic Fellow,Temple Sholom, Greenwich, CT (2016-2017)

Pastoral Counseling:

  • Perform lifecycle-based chaplaincy, providing emotional and spiritual support during both joyous and difficult transitions.
  • Always available for one-on-one counseling and sick visits for all community members.
  • Craft individualized ceremonies for all lifecycle events, including 60+ bar/bat mitzvah per year.
  • Advocate for the welfare of all congregant youth, building relationships founded on trust and active listening. 

Education:

  • Design and implement learner-centered curricula focused on positive Jewish identity formation for adults, preschool (150 students), and religious school (250 elementary-middle school students), envisioning the synagogue as an ecosystem for intergenerational learning and Jewish programming.
  • Lead weekly bible study for adult learners as well as Lunch & Learn and Sisterhood new month study group.
  • Collaborate with youth leaders to plan educational and social events with the goal of building a lifelong community of Jewish peers.
  • Revitalized BBYO (teen) chapter with key youth leaders, winning the regional social justice award two years in a row.

Inclusivity / In-Reach:

  • Engage members, staff, board, and local Jewish organizations in planning inclusive events, delegating leadership roles to promote full participation. Successful holiday and social justice programs have increased in attendance by 300% over three years.
  • Co-founded first synagogue inclusion committee with lay leaders, designing synagogue-wide inclusivity needs-assessment to develop welcoming environment for all congregants and staff.

Outreach:

  • Promote the synagogue through leadership in local Jewish and interfaith organizations.
  • Built relationships with 30+ Greenwich faith institutions to foster solidarity with the Jewish community, leading interfaith religious ceremonies, guest sermons, educational programs, and youth events.
  • Co-planner of Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy’s responses to local antisemitism including a Solidarity Shabbat after the Pittsburg synagogue shooting, lead planner of GFC Passover healing service for COVID-19.

Worship Leader:

  • Lead all services, aiming to produce spiritual connection through insightful sermons and singing within the traditional framework. Teach and support interested congregants in leading services and as gabbai.   
  • Solo Rabbi at family High Holiday services for 500+ congregants, designing interactive and accessible services.

JEWISH EDUCATION

Jewish Life Director, List College, New York, NY (2016-2017)

Lead Educator and Curricula Designer, Marks Jewish Community House, Bensonhurst, NY (2016)

Fifth Grade Teacher, Beth El, New Rochelle, NY (2016)

Children’s Day Care Director, Camp Ramah in the Poconos, Lakeland, PA (2014)

Fifth Grade Teacher and Mitzvah Coach, B’nai Jeshurun,New York, NY (2013-2014)

Seventh Grade Teacher, Tenth Grade Artist Beit Midrash Teacher, Youth Movement Educator,

Congregation Beth Judah, Ventnor City, NJ (2014)

Highlights

  • Created experiential education programs for 21 fifth grade student-guardian pairs focused on living Jewish values in preparation for bar/bat mitzvah.
  • Designed and implemented Jewish morals curriculum for 400+ campers ages preschool through high-school to reconnect Jews of Russian descent to their Jewish heritage.
  • Trained campeducators to implement an experiential education curriculum that was age appropriate and produced a consistently excellent level of programming.
  • Facilitated community building and individualized explorations of spirituality at weekly Shabbat home hospitality for 150+ college students and staff.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Member, Rabbinical Assembly (2019-Present)

Executive Committee Member, Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy, Greenwich, CT (2017-2020)

Roundtable Committee Member, Westchester Jewish Council, White Plains, NY (2018-2020)

Participant, AIPAC  (2020-Present)

President, Student Liaison to Faculty Committee on Gender and Sexuality, Keshet-JTS,

Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, NY (2016-2019)

EDUCATION

Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, NY: M.A. Jewish Education, Rabbinic Studies and Rabbinic Ordination (2019)                                                                 

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, CT: Certification for 1 unit of CPE (2017)

Drisha Institute for Jewish Education: Arts Fellow (Vocals and Guitar) (2011-2013)

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA: B.A. Anthropology (2011)