An Important Part of the Norway Journey

Dear Reb Marcia,

An abundance of blessings upon you on your upcoming Chai anniversary!

As I write this, I have just concluded serving for the 4th time, High Holidays in our small Havura, Havurat Kol haLev.   As you know, this is quite a miracle considering the Jewish context I live in (Oslo, Norway) which like many European settings, until recently and ever since Jews settled here in the late 1800s, only has offered or recognized orthodox practice as authentic Judaism.

As a result of my training and learning with you and Aleph I am now able to offer egalitarian, personal, Renewal- inspired services and gatherings for Shabbat and Jewish Holidays...

I want you to know that you have truly been a very important part of this journey!

I first came to know about you in 1998 when your name as the Dean of the Aleph Rabbinic program was mentioned on an email listserve. For a while I had been looking into rabbinical programs I might attend - and felt intrigued when I learned about ALEPH. At that time I had come across writings and music by several teachers within Jewish Renewal as I was writing about Judaism from a gender perspective for my thesis in Comparative Religion.

My first email correspondence with you regarding the program was in 1999 and it would take yet a year before I first made my way from Oslo to Elat Chayim to meet and have a conversation with you in person. 

This was during Smicha-week of summer 2000 when Reb Zalman was teaching and was my first time ever in a Jewish Renewal setting. I experienced this to be the first Jewish setting in which I could embrace spirit fully and find acceptance for all that I am!
That week ended with my witnessing 8 new rabbis receiving their Smicha, 6 of them women.  I was breathtaken, deeply inspired - and "hooked"! Again and again I  experienced your profound presence at each Smicah ceremony - and not the least at my own in January 2010.

I remember our first conversation vividly, the first of many as I continued to come back to gatherings and classes every summer and winter in the many years that followed.

After DLTI II, you accepted me as a student in the rabbinical program and over time I got to learn to know you from a variety of settings in addition to the venues of the program; at P'nei Or Philadelphia, where I have had the pleasure to co-lead services, in Berlin, in your home in Philadelphia.

That first week at Elat Chayim was magic in so many ways - and the beginning of a very long journey where your presence, your modeling and teachings have continued to be an important and significant part of who I am today; Your many Shabbat davveningservices with Hazzan Jack, both in person, on tape and CD, Tisha b'Av at Elat Chayim, your many teachings and stories, your book, The Path of Blessings, which I have had the privilege to teach from and translate into Norwegian - all this and more continues to be a part of my internal memory-bank and a great resource or inspiration as I now do my work as the first female and first non-orthodox Rabbi here in Oslo, Norway.

I am honored and delighted to  know you  and may you continue to be a source of blessing and inspiration to all your students and their students and to all whose path you cross for many times Chai years to come!

A big Mazal Tov on your anniversary!

Much love,

Lynn Claire Feinberg
Rabbiner

Mashpiah Ruchanit/
Havurat Kol haLev
Oslo Norway