Dear TBZ Community,

As the end of the school year approaches and we prepare for summer, we’re looking ahead to the Fall of 2024 and the beginning of 5785. With those preparations in mind, we have some exciting updates to share regarding our spiritual leadership team!

Welcome our new Assistant Rabbi: Rav Leah Carnow

First and foremost, we are excited to officially announce that our outgoing rabbinic intern, Leah Carnow, will soon begin her tenure as Assistant Rabbi, Director of Community Engagement. Her first official day will be July 1! 

Leah will be ending her official internship at TBZ, on May 31st and, along with all of our community’s graduates, we will be celebrating her during services on Saturday, June 1. This coming Sunday, June 2, Leah will be ordained by Hebrew College; you can learn more about the ordination ceremony online. Please note that Leah will not be available during the month of June as she will be taking a much deserved break as she transitions from student to her new role. And starting June 2, we invite all to call her “Rav Leah.” We know that it can sometimes be hard to change our practice, but Leah will be joining me and Rav Tiferet as part of the clergy with the title “Rav.” We plan on sharing her specific portfolio, as well as a reminder of the roles that Rav Tiferet and I fill at TBZ, in a later email so we all know who to reach out to about what. Stay tuned! 



As some of you may know, Rav Leah is pregnant (“b’sha’ah tovah” - in good times), and is due, God willing, at the end of October. Rav Leah will be taking three months parental leave and we will update you on the details once the time comes. 

Starting July 1, Rav Leah’s email will be ravleah@tbzbrookline.org. 

Welcome our new Rabbinic Intern: Akiva Nelson

We are excited to welcome Akiva Nelson as our new Rabinic Intern. Akiva is no stranger to the TBZ community: he led JLIT (a teen program we offered during the pandemic) and is a regular at Shabbat Nariya. Akiva’s official start date will be September 3. 

Akiva is a rising 5th year rabbinical student at Hebrew College. For the past two years, he has served as the rabbinic intern at Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in Newton. He is dedicated to building an inclusive, accessible, and enlivening synagogue community where Jews and all people are able to feel belonging and successfully navigate prayer, ritual, holiday, and learning spaces. Akiva regularly leads Jewish meditation and chanting, and is pursuing certification as a Jewish meditation retreat teacher. Born in North Carolina and educated at Columbia University, his first “career” focused on environmental sustainability and renewable energy entrepreneurship. 

Starting September 3, Akiva’s email will be akiva@tbzbrookline.org. 

Update about Noah Weinberg, TBZ's Musical Prayer Leader

As many of you know, Noah will be spending some of next year in Israel, as his partner, Aviva Herr-Welber, goes to Israel as a part of her rabbinical school studies. Noah will be with us during the High Holidays and will be leaving for Israel late October and returning to Boston and TBZ late April. We will miss him during those 6 months! But no worries, we have plans for that time with many musicians supporting our team:

Shabbat Nariya: During the months that Noah is away, Rabbi Jackson Mercer will be leading Shabbat Nariya. Rabbi Jackson has been part of the mehalelim (praisers; community musicians) since the beginning of Nariya and currently he and his wife, Rachel Jackson, run Base Boston. 

Other Shabbat services: We are excited and blessed to have the continued support of wonderful musicians who already lift-up and join our spiritual team regularly. Rafi Ellenson, who has been part of our team, will continue not only with his beautiful drumming but will also bring his guitar skills to TBZ on occasion. Yoni Battat will also support us with his music during Noah’s time in Israel. (Read more about Yoni, below.) 

Welcome back to our Artist-in-Residence: Yoni Battat

We are so excited that Yoni will continue to be TBZ’s Artist-in-Residence, bringing his music and gifts to our community. Shabbat Zimrah was a success this past year and we are excited to announce that we will have Shabbat Zimrah (almost) monthly next year. Stay tuned for the dates! In addition to Shabbat services, Yoni will also join us for the High Holidays. 

The second part of my sabbatical, including summer plans:

As I shared in January, I am grateful to have a four-month sabbatical included in my contract. Due to the pandemic, I was not able to take this time earlier. Together with TBZ's leadership, we created a plan for me to take my sabbatical before the summer of 2025. My sabbatical was divided in three chunks: I took the first part in February-March 2024, and will be taking the second part in July 2024 as well as in June-July 2025. In addition, I will be taking my regular vacation time.

As I also shared, I am honored to be part of the eighth cohort of the Shalom Hartman Institute's Rabbinic Leadership Initiative (RLI Cohort VIII). This is a rigorous three-year rabbinic fellowship program with 25 exceptional rabbis from across North America. RLI is a program of study and enrichment to transform rabbinic leaders into thought leaders for the Jewish people in the 21st Century. This three-year fellowship includes study in Jerusalem each July, beginning this summer.

I will be away from TBZ (in Israel for the fellowship and additional vacation) from June 30 through August 11 and from August 25 through September 1. During that time, Rav Leah will be leading services together with Noah and other members of our spiritual leadership team. She will also respond to pastoral calls as needed. More details about the summer and how best to reach out to Rav Leah in case of emergencies will be shared closer to my departure. 

These are exciting times at TBZ and we are blessed to have so many talented professionals – rabbis, musicians, and educators – as part of our team.

With blessings for a good summer and for better times for all,

Rav Claudia  

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