Shedding New Light on Jewish Traditions

Meet Rabbi Erin Hirsh, Director of Education & Administrative Reorganization

Rabbi Erin became OH's Education Director in the spring of 2021. Rabbi Erin’s leadership style, professional experiences and personality are a great fit for OH. In November 2023, Rabbi Erin accepted the additional role of Administrative Reorganization Director. This consultancy will be in addition to Rabbi Erin’s role as Education Director and we will have administrative help to support her management of both portfolios. By the end of this fiscal year, Rabbi Erin and the executive committee will propose permanent changes to the staffing structure and board roles with the goal of making Or Hadash run more effectively and efficiently.   

Although Or Hadash has gotten to know Rabbi Erin primarily as an educator, she has served as an executive administrator for the Reconstructionist movement and Gratz College. Rabbi Erin has actually guided several synagogues through staffing changes as a consultant. As we have seen in the last year, Rabbis Erin and Alanna complement each other beautifully and this collaborative administrative structure will help Or Hadash benefit from each of their strengths.

Contact Rabbi Erin at RabbiErin@OrHadash.com or use this link to make an appointment with Rabbi Erin: https://RabbiErin.youcanbook.me.

These are some places where Rabbi Erin shines as an educator:

Reconstructionist Jewish Education

  • Rabbi Erin directed two local Reconstructionist congregational schools and then served as the Director of Education for the Reconstructionist Movement. In that role, Rabbi Erin worked with rabbis, education directors and lay leaders to translate Reconstructionist values into the curricula and governance of communities throughout North America. 

Curriculum 

  • Rabbi Erin loves to design curricula that reflect the values and culture of the community. Specific modalities she highlights include intergenerational, arts-based, project-based, service-learning curricula. Rabbi Erin is passionate about integrating Tikkun Olam and social justice issues into curricula as well as utilizing technology strategically to enhance congregational education. Rabbi Erin also feels strongly about making schools comfortable for students with diverse identities and all different strengths and challenges.

Professional Development

  • At Gratz College, Rabbi Erin built a mentorship program for local congregational school teachers and a national training program specifically for them as well. She speaks about providing teachers with a strong curricular framework while empowering them to be responsive to the needs and temperament of the students in each class, and the teachers’ own passions. Although all synagogues had trouble attracting teachers last year, Rabbi Erin was able to recruit 14 new teachers at the school she directed as well as adding 20 new children to the school.

Most importantly, Rabbi Erin is warm, kind, curious, creative, organized, and a great delegator. We feel lucky that Rabbi Erin wants to apply her experience and skills to helping teach and grow our Or Hadash community, young and old.