Sandra Lawson

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Rabbi Sandra Lawson, guitar and tallit.jpg

Sandra Lawson (born 1970)[1] is a rabbi and the first Director of Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism.[2] She previously served as Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Elon University. Lawson became one of the first openly gay, female, and black rabbis in the world in 2018.[3][4] She is a veteran, vegan, sociologist, personal trainer, food activist, weightlifter, writer and musician.[5]

Lawson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in a military, non-practicing Christian family.[3][6] Lawson graduated magna cum laude from Saint Leo University in Florida with a degree in sociology. She also holds a master's degree in sociology from Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.[3]

As a college student, Lawson came out as a lesbian and enlisted in the U.S. Army. In the army she served in military law enforcement working on child abuse and domestic violence cases.[6]

After graduating from college and leaving the military, she opened a personal training business. Through her client Rabbi Joshua Lesser, she came to discover Judaism and fell in love with Lesser's synagogue. She ultimately converted to Judaism in 2004.[6][7]

Lawson went on to serve as an investigative researcher for the Anti-Defamation League and later began rabbinical school at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.[8] She chose this path after attending an LGBT memorial for Coretta Scott King where she represented the Jewish community.[7] She was the first African-American, and the first openly gay African-American accepted into the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which occurred in 2011.[6] She was ordained as a rabbi in 2018 and was hired by Elon University that year.[3]

Lawson has been noted for her efforts to teach Judaism in unique locations. As a rabbinical student, Lawson ran a Friday night service at Arnold’s Way, a vegan cafe and health store near Philadelphia.[8][9][10] She also has been noted for her efforts to teach by using social media and live video feeds.[9] Lawson has been described as "Snapchat’s Top Rabbi."[11]

References[]

  1. ^ "My Story: My Jewish Path And Rabbinic Path". Rabbi Sandra Lawson. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  2. ^ "Reconstructing Judaism Names Rabbi Sandra Lawson Inaugural Director of Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion". Reconstructing Judaism. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  3. ^ a b c d "Rabbi Sandra Lawson named associate chaplain for Jewish life, Jewish educator at Hillel". Today at Elon. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  4. ^ "Elon Rabbi redefines religion". Elon News Network. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  5. ^ Prihar, Asha. "A Personal Trainer, Vegan and Sociologist Walk into a Synagogue — Oh Wait, that's just Sandra Lawson". Yale Daily News. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  6. ^ a b c d "Rabbi is latest of many titles for Philly woman". WHYY. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  7. ^ a b "Sandra Lawson, black lesbian vegan rabbinical student, hopes to redefine where Judaism happens". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  8. ^ a b Stern, Marissa (2018-06-20). "Rabbi Meets Jews Where They Are Today". Jewish Exponent. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  9. ^ a b "Sandra Lawson, black lesbian vegan rabbinical student, hopes to redefine where Judaism happens". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  10. ^ Holmes, Kristin E. "Breaking with tradition, rabbinical student does Shabbat service Arnold's Way". philly.com. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  11. ^ "Snapchat's Top Rabbi". My Jewish Learning. 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2019-05-12.

External links[]

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