I was born in the mid seventies. When I grew up, I listened to Free to Be You and Me, but I lived in a home with a dad who went to work and a mom who stayed home. Those feminist messages did not match my environment. I never dreamt that a woman could clinch a political party’s presidential nomination and I definitely did not know that women could be rabbis. I played with Barbies. My motto was: the more pink, the better. Fast forward forty odd years and now my motto is: low maintenance but sort of stylish, sans baby drool.
As soon as Hillary Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, I tweeted the following: As a woman working in a predominantly male field, I offer a standing ovation to @HillaryClinton. While I am thrilled of her accomplishments, I could not help but wonder if she becomes president, how is she
going to do it all? How is she going to have time to be a wife to Bill, a mom to Chelsea and a grandmother to Chelsea’s kids while being the leader of the free world?
People ask me a similar question. They ask me how I am able to be both a mom and a rabbi. People are fascinated by the Ima/Bima balance. (Ima means mother in Hebrew, and I stand on a Bima when I lead Shabbat and Festival services). The
truth is I don’t really think there is a difference between my work/life balance and that of any other working mother. While my job is not 9-5 and I work many nights, it works.
A big component of what I do is make it known that my congregation is not comprised of cookie cutter families. That is one of the reasons we advertise on Macaroni Kid. I want you to know that my synagogue is led by a mom, just like you and for better or for worse, I go through a lot of the same thing you do. I do my best to make LGBT families, single parent families, Jews of color and multifaith families feel welcome and a part of our community. People who might walk in the door feeling like they are “other” make the synagogue more vibrant and dynamic.
If you or someone you know is looking to join a Jewish community, but you are scared that you know less or don’t fit in, give me a call or shoot me an email. ICCJ is a caring and welcoming community and would be honored to have you.
Many blessings,
Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin
RabbiRFB@iccj2004.org
718-591- 5610
