​Rachel Brodie z"l was a Jewish educator working primarily with adult learners. She specialized in designing and facilitating professional development opportunities for other Jewish educators. At her death in April 2022, Rachel was the Senior Educator at Jewish Studio Project.

From 2011 to 2016 Rachel served as the Chief Jewish Officer of the JCC of San Francisco. Prior to that (2004-2011) Rachel was the co-founder and Executive Director of Jewish Milestones: a not-for-profit, educational resource for Jewish lifecycle ceremonies.

A New Yorker by birth and temperament, Rachel settled in the Bay Area in 1997 after spending a year in Israel on a Melton Senior Educator's Fellowship at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She held a master's degree in Rabbinic Literature from The Jewish Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Literature and Society from Brown University.

The Jewish community mourns Rachel's untimely death in April 2022.  

VITAE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

​SENIOR EDUCATOR
Jewish Studio Project, Berkeley, CA, 2019-2022.
​
INDEPENDENT JEWISH EDUCATOR (WORKING WITH ADULTS)
Various
  • Consultant, Jim Joseph Foundation, San Francisco, CA, 2020-present
  • Adjunct Faculty,  The Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA, 2019
  • Faculty, Voices for Good Fellowship, JewishLearningWorks, San Francisco, CA, 2019-2021
  • Scholar-in-Residence and Guest Educator, 1999-present. A list of past engagements is available upon request.
  • Consultant for Curriculum Development, Brandeis Marin, San Rafael, CA, 2016-2018
  • Scholar, Kevah, San Francisco Bay Area, CA, 2013-2021
  • Scholar-in-Residence, Jewish Community Center of the East Bay, Berkeley/Oakland, CA, (three month residency--November 2017 through February 2018)​
  • Faculty, Fellowship for Educating for Applied Jewish Wisdom, William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, Jewish Theological Seminary, 2017-2018
  • Scholar, Communities of Learning, Jewish Community Federation, Marin, CA, 2002-2011
  • Scholar, Tauber Scholar Series, Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco, CA, 2009-2010​
  • Consultant for Curriculum Development and Faculty Member, The Tauber Jewish Studies Program, Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco, CA, 2004-2006

​CHIEF JEWISH OFFICER
The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 2011-2016
  • Provided thought leadership for the JCCSF focused on upholding the Center’s core values; developed concept and content related to the implementation of the JCCSF’s hashkafa (unique perspective and vision)
  • Guided staff in executing on the vision and maintaining the salience of the hashkafa; developing and managed the strategic deployment of staff Jewish educators as part of the overall effort to strengthen and deepen the “J” throughout the JCCSF
  • Facilitated advisory committee comprised of board members and other key stakeholders
  • Researched and developed effective strategies for Jewish learning and engagement in the JCC context
  • Taught Jewish Culture and Thought programs, including a new model for an Introduction to Judaism course and a series on Ethical Fitness 
  • Convened conversations, delivered presentations, and wrote articles in alignment with thought leadership objectives
  • Represented the JCCSF in public forums as a presenter, teacher, facilitator, and Jewish communal professional

CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jewish Milestones, San Francisco Bay Area, 2004-2011
  • Conceived, founded and directed a not-for-profit educational service, dedicated to deepening the engagement of Jews with their heritage by supporting active participation in authentically Jewish and personally meaningful rites of passage--typically related to birth, maturation, partnering, and loss.
  • Primary responsibilities included: strategic and programmatic visioning and planning; financial management (budgeting, fundraising and grant writing, plus managing the transition to 501(c)3 status); board development; staff supervision; communications and marketing; project management and strategic partnership building.

​JEWISH EDUCATOR FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TEACHER TRAINING
Various
  • Consultant/Presenter, The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA, 2009-2010
  • Faculty Member, The Curriculum Initiative Summer Institute, SF Bay Area, 2005-2006
  • Designed and led ongoing professional development for Family Educators, The Jewish Family Education Project, The Bureau of Jewish Education, San Francisco, CA, 1997-2004
  • Faculty Member, (ti-ke-a): A Fellowship for Educators of Jewish Teens, The Bureau of Jewish Education, San Francisco, CA, 2003-2004
  • Consultant/Educator, Early Childhood Education, Osher Marin JCC, Marin, CA, 2002-2003
  • Consultant/Educator, Early Childhood Education, JCC, San Francisco, CA, 1998-2000
  • Consultant/Educator, Peninsula Jewish Community Center, San Mateo, CA, 1998-2000

FOUNDING DIRECTOR
The Jewish Retreat Center, New York, NY, 1994-1996
  • Developed and administered retreats, conferences, and Elderhostels. Taught and served as a programmatic resource for participating groups. Co-founded The Teva Learning Center, an outdoor Jewish environmental education program; developed program, wrote curriculum, taught staff and participants.

​COMMUNITY EDUCATOR
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Bulgaria, 1992-94
  • Served as primary Jewish resource and educator to Bulgarian Jewish community of approximately 7,000 people. Co-directed Sofia Sunday School, serving 120 children ages 4-18.  Initiated and taught extensive adult Jewish education seminars for teachers and community leaders. Designed formal and informal educational programs for small Jewish communities. Co-directed summer camp, planning all educational and recreational programs. 

PUBLICATIONS

EDUCATION

  • Kol Haneshama: Jewish End of Life Care Volunteer Training, Bay Area Jewish Healing Center and Zen Hospice, San Francisco, 2017
  • Senior Educators Fellowship, The Melton Centre for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, Hebrew University, Israel, 1996-1997
  • Jewish Family Educators Training Institute, Fordham University and The Board of Jewish Education, New York, 1995-1997
  • Master of Arts, with Distinction, in Rabbinic Literature, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York, 1991; Charles H. Revson Fellowship, 1991-1992; Charles & Ruth Samson Lefkowitz Award for academic achievement, 1991
  • Bachelor of Arts, with Honors, in Literature and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, 1989