Scholar in Residence

Rabbi Gloria S. Rubin was born in Brooklyn, New York. She recently retired from the pulpit rabbinate to pursue writing and interfaith projects. Rubin received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from New York University in 1971, and a Master of Science in Secondary English Education from Queens College of the City University of New York in 1976. She was ordained from The Academy for Jewish Religion, an inter-denominational seminary in Riverdale, New York in 1995. As Rabbi of the Lakeland Hills Jewish Center and Assistant Rabbi for Education of Temple Beth Ahm, both in New Jersey, she included interfaith programs in the religious school. While in New Jersey she worked with a Methodist minister to coordinate Shoulder-to-Shoulder, which brought together the religious institutions of two towns to co-sponsor a program promoting interfaith understanding and tolerance. Her follow-up article a year later, on the effects of interfaith coalition building, appeared in The New York Times.

Rubin has been a keynote speaker and taught at many interfaith dialogue events held in the U.S. and abroad including: the Standing Conference of Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Europe (Wuppertal, Germany, March 2008) and an interfaith dinner at the national conference of the Islamic Circle of North America (Hartford, Connecticut, July 2008). Her lecture at the JCM conference was published in English in European Judaism (December 2008) and also in abbreviated form in German for a special issue on interfaith dialogue in In Die Welt Fur Die Welt, the magazine of the United Evangelical Mission. She also contributed to the series Speaking of Faith, published by the Record Journal in Meriden, CT and has written for several synagogue bulletins.

            Over a period of over 25 years prior she was principal of three religious schools, taught in public and religious schools, and tutored students for bar mitzvah. During this time she served as faculty advisor to early childhood education majors fulfilling their first field experience, and supervised student teachers for William Paterson University.

            Her book, Living With Your New Baby (co-authored with Elly Rakowitz; hardcover: Franklin Watts, 1978; Trade/mass market paperback editions: Berkley Publishing) was also published in the United Kingdom (hardcover: Souvenir Press; soft-cover: Hamlin). She also wrote articles for national parenting magazines and was a speaker on parenting issues at over 25 regional/national conferences including professional groups: physicians, childbirth and family educators.  She also spoke to community groups including sessions at the 92^nd Street Y.

            She worked with Dr. Ivan R. Koota to develop the first parent support and education program housed in a pediatric office. The program became a national model. Rubin and Koota co-authored articles in professional journals and presented at national pediatric conferences.  Rubin also coordinated all aspects of the development of a non-profit before-and-after-school child care agency including grant writing.

            Rubin created the Arts and Entertainment Section of The Jewish Standard Newspaper which she edited for several years.

            As rabbi of Temple B’nai Abraham in Meriden, Ct., she served as vice-president of the Meriden Clergy Association, was on the board of directors of the Connecticut Council for Interfaith Understanding, and the Pastoral Care Advisory Committee of Midstate Medical Center where she also served as an on-call chaplain. A community-wide service for the National Day of Prayer co-sponsored by her synagogue and the Meriden Clergy Association included participants of nine faith traditions. She is a member of the Rabbinical Assembly, the professional organization of Conservative rabbis, and past president of the Connecticut Valley Region. She resides in Oakland, New Jersey.

• JEWS MUSLIMS AND FRIENDSHIP: The friendship journey of two Women -- a German Imam and an American Rabbi. Can be an individual session or part of a series on overcoming the obstacles that inhibit relationships. Series can include a variety of sources, sacred and secular, media analysis, etc.
• SEEING THROUGH THE EYES OF THE OTHER: How each of us can expand the lens through which we see the world to evolve a shared view of humanity. Individual session or part of a series on this theme: including text study, news media analysis, etc.
• CHICKEN SOUP AMBASSADORS FOR PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING: How a chicken soup prank among friends led to a world-wide "conspiracy" towards peace. Can be an individual session or part of a series.
• MOVIE AS MIDRASH: Are cinematographers the new commentators? What is midrash anyway? A comparison between our memories of the story of the Exodus from Egypt, excerpts from The Ten Commandments, The Prince of Egypt and the Biblical text will illuminate how stories evolve: including our own. Can be an individual session or part of a series on CREATIVE WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING TEXT: Moving Day at the Mishkan, Getting Stoned, The Truth About Trees, etc.
• THINGS MY PARENTS MIGHT HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE SEDER IF I KNEW HOW TO ASK: a new look at the "Four Sons"