I am a DONA International trained birth and postpartum doula and soon to be ordained Rabbi through the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. You may think that being a Rabbi and being a doula are opposites—one deals with the soul while the other deals with the body. However, I believe pregnancy encompasses the body AND the soul. Pregnancy should not be just a physical condition to be endured; rather, it should be a spiritually meaningful phase in your life. In addition to working with congregants, clients at Cedars-Sinai hospital, and completing rabbinical classes, I found myself binging birth videos on YouTube. I marvel at the miracle of birth. After reading Anita Diamant’s, The Red Tent, the strength and wisdom of women giving birth and assisting the birthing process awakened something within me. After speaking with several other rabbis and Jewish communal professionals about birth work, I realized that I wanted birth work to be at the core of my rabbinate. I provide support for families based on their needs and desires. I draw strength, wisdom, and guidance from the Jewish tradition transmitting to my clients the knowledge and rituals our ancestors shared. There are so many matters to manage during pregnancy: eating healthy, getting plenty of rest, and diving into a sea of pregnancy books. All are important preparations for baby, but we should not neglect the spiritual and emotional preparation of the birther! Birth is not only about creating babies. Birth is about creating parents. Follow me for weekly content on Instagram! .Doula
