Rabbi Rachel Lynn Heaps joins us from the East Coast. While growing up in New Rochelle, NY, she was very active in her temple’s youth group and attended URJ Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA. She attended The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she studied Psychology and Judaic studies. While studying in D.C., she worked at Temple Micah as a teacher and tutor. After graduation, Rabbi Heaps took on the role of administrator at Temple Micah, adding to her synagogue portfolio.
In June 2012, Rabbi Heaps left D.C. to begin her studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, first in Jerusalem, and then in New York City. During her time as a rabbinical student, she served a variety of roles including school teacher for Temple Shaaray Tefila of Manhattan and HUC-JIR’s Miller High School; student rabbi for Temple Beth Ha-Shalom of Williamsport, PA; intern for both Sarah Neuman nursing home in Mamaroneck, NY and HUC-JIR’s Business and Development Department; and co-director of HIC-JIR’s Founders’ Fellowship. Rabbi Heaps also spent her summers as Director of Jewish life at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, MI (2013) and URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy in Byfield, MA (2015-2016).
Rabbi Heaps was ordained in May 2017. She now lives in Northbrook, IL and is very excited to be a part of the Temple Jeremiah family.
Do you know why we dress the Torah the way we do? Ever looked closely at the decorative clothing and wondered about the story behind it? When I take classes or groups to see the Torah, they’re always so fascinated by the scroll itself: the materials it’s made of,
I’ve had two settings of a prayer on repeat lately as I listen to music on my way to temple. The prayer begins “Ilu finu malei shirat ka’yam,” “If only our mouths were as full of song as the sea…” and the composers are Miriam Margles and Josh Warshawsky.
