PRESENTING RACHEL BLUMSTEIN POSNER AS RABBI AND TEACHER IN ISRAEL
Presented by Rabbi Jonathan Slater
I first met Rachel ten years ago when she approached me to serve as her Spiritual Director. At that time, she was seeking to deepen her Jewish spiritual life, layering on Jewish knowledge and insight to her successful practice as a clinical psychologist and therapist.
Training to become a Spiritual Director invited Rachel to grow in her Jewish practice and interrogate her practice as a therapist. Beyond traditional observance, what does serving God entail? What is the inner disposition that helps one to sense God’ s presence and movement in one’ s life? Within traditional observance, what does one seek as a devotional practice, as a way of knowing God in all one’ s ways?
A therapist engages with a client to help them find psychological ease, or change behaviors to feel happier, less anxious, more integrated. A Spiritual Director holds space for a directee to discover God’ s presence for themself, in their own way of knowing God. As a therapist becomes a Spiritual Director they need to shift perspectives, to open to, honor, and mirror the growing spiritual awareness of the directee.
Both of these dimensions were part of our work together, and which she has navigated with insight and brilliance. After Rachel concluded her training, we continued to meet, to investigate her inner life. As time went on, the importance of Jewish practice and spirituality grew for Rachel. Periodically the question of studying to become a rabbi would surface— growing in intensity over time— through which she might bring together these three dimensions in her life. AJR provided the context and community in which Rachel could— and now has— fulfilled that ambition and desire.
Rachel and I have also spent time reflecting on her internships and her work as a rabbi in her home community. I have come more and more to respect her abilities as a writer, counselor, community leader, pastor, and ritualist. Her heart, head, and soul are aligned and ready to be a rabbi, playing an important role in whatever community she serves. I am honored to have known her over these years, and to present her for ordination now.
BEIT DIN
Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD- Somekhet Rabbi Jeffrey Segelman Rabbi Jeff Hoffman, DHL
12 AJR 2025