RABBI DR. GOLDIE MILGRAM, FIRST RESIDENT RABBI FOR KOL HANESHAMA

Congregation Kol HaNeshama has reached a milestone in its growth with the appointment of Rabbi Goldie Milgram as seasonal resident Rabbi for the winter season of 2010-11. Rabbi Milgram travels internationally as an inspiring teacher of Torah and Jewish spiritual practice. A Covenant Award finalist (given to outstanding Jewish educators), she has authored a number of books on Jewish life cycle celebration and spiritual development, and an entire volume on innovative Bar and Bat Mitzva preparation involving the entire family, the community and the student. 

Rabbi Milgram will be working closely with Jennifer Singer, the congregation’s Educational Director, in designing forms of expression that continue the traditions of participation and musicality that are the hallmark of Kol HaNeshama, while including innovative new approaches to add spiritual depth and meaning to both the study and worship elements of services. Both Rabbi Milgram and Ms. Singer will teach children and adults next year in an expanded education program.

Rabbi Milgram was ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and also holds smicha from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of Jewish Renewal movement.
She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, earned an M.S.W. degree from Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School, and holds a doctorate from New York Theological Seminary.

Rabbi Milgram served as founding chair of what is now known as KOLOT, the first program in higher education to focus on women and gender issues in Judaism, at the RRC. She founded and directs Reclaiming Judaism Press and ReclaimingJudaism.org, an organization focusing on research and development of new strategies and techniques to involve people of all ages in living Jewishly, and learning the skills needed to transmit Judaism to the next generation through meaningful and relevant experiences. She also teaches pastoral counseling, Jewish bio-ethics and public speaking for a variety of seminaries.

Earlier in her career Rabbi Milgram and served as a Jewish Federation professional in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She also has served as a congregational rabbi, board of Jewish education director and as Dean of the Academy of Jewish Religion, a non-denominational rabbinical seminary in New York.

Rabbi Milgram is married to Barry Bub, M.D. Together they delight in five children from previous marriages and seven grandchildren.