Alissa Wise grew up in Cincinnati amidst a vibrant modern Orthodox community and earned a degree in Jewish studies and Near Eastern languages and cultures from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Her next step was to join Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps, a cross-denominational organization dedicated to integrating Judaism and social activism.
Wise says that during her three years of antipoverty work in Brooklyn, NY, with Avodah, she began to discover her identity as a Reconstructionist. She was drawn to the egalitarianism as well as the concept of Judaism as an evolving religious civilization. Engaging Jews and helping them raise their voices “really puts the individual Jew back into Jewish life” she says.
Recognizing herself as a Reconstructionist was Wise’s key to everything she wanted to do: bring her love of Judaism to education and social justice work, and help people discover their own dynamic Jewish identities.
Now in the midst of her five-year training at RRC, Wise also serves as religious school director for String of Pearls, a Reconstructionist congregation in Princeton, NJ. She has developed an experiential curriculum for her students, including lessons on homelessness using the symbolism of the sukkah, and a project in which students create life-cycle greeting cards to raise funds for tzedakah.
She continues to express her commitment to social activism through her chaplaincy work with Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, where she offers post-abortion counseling. In addition, she has writen a pastoral counseling curriculum for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice -- a national cross-denominational organization -- that addresses reproductive loss for GLBT clients.
Social justice, tikkun olam and inspiring the next generation with the richness of Jewish history, culture and learning all come together for Wise as she pursues her unique rabbinic path at RRC.
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