In an effort to make Judaism accessible, Rabbi Eliana Fischel has given a sermon about Taylor Swift and the pop star’s ability to draw in thousands of fans.
“I think part of it’s because of her vulnerability,” Fischel, an associate rabbi at Washington Hebrew Congregation, said. “Yes, she’s amazing at PR, she’s amazing at communicating exactly who she is, but it’s also that she’s open enough to share all of it and share her imperfect moments, too.”
Fischel tied Swift’s frankness to a verse in Deuteronomy in which God asks people to “be open; show yourself and don’t be closed off.”
“I love making those types of connections,” Fischel said.
Recently back from maternity leave, the Bethesda resident leads pregnancy support groups at WHC, helping women create “villages” based in Jewish text. She also leads WHC’s young adults’ group 2239.
Tell me about your Jewish upbringing and background.
I grew up in a Reconstructionist community in New York outside of New York City, and grew up in a home that really valued Shabbat. And by that, I mean loud, boisterous conversation and delicious food and drink on a Friday night with lots of friends and family, so Judaism was always joyous and sort of academic. There would always be political and academic conversation around the table, and that’s what Judaism means to me.
The synagogue I grew up in was the first place that an adult who wasn’t my parent cared about what I thought. I was in Hebrew school and we were studying theology, and my rabbi and cantor cared deeply about what I believed and what I thought, whereas in secular high school, it was either a “yes” or “no” answer. What I think matters, and that was revelatory to me.
Have you always wanted to pursue the rabbinate?
I grew up going to URJ Eisner Camp, which is a Reform camp. There, I didn’t realize that it was Judaism doing it, but [camp] was a place that was totally comfortable, where I was so proud of who I was and where community really meant something. As I graduated college and began working at Eisner, I realized that it was the Jewish basis, Jewish text and Jewish ritual that really made that happen, and so that’s how I decided to be a rabbi.
At the time, I was studying public policy, community action and psychology, and I realized this was how I could do everything I ever wanted. I love psychology because I loved people and wanted to be adjacent to people’s lives. I loved public policy and community action because I want to help make the world better. And the fact that I get to do both of those things with Jewish text and ritual as my Play-Doh makes it really fun.
What would you say are your most successful skills?
I think one of my goals and something that I’m good at is making Judaism accessible to people. A lot of people believe or think that Judaism can only exist in a holy space at a certain time of day or a certain time of the week or year, and that’s how you access Judaism. One of my goals, which I think I’m good at, is showing that Judaism — if it’s worth anything — is going to help support your entire life. It should support the way you view the world, the way you view your job, your relationships … it could even ideally help you see your body differently and more beautifully, as more holy. Often, I [make Judaism accessible] by combining Judaism with pop culture because I love pop culture and it’s clearly accessible; it’s popular, and I love playing with that.
What do you enjoy most about working at WHC?
The diversity of my day. I get to do so many different things every day. So, [on] Friday, I am going to lead Shabbat Sing for our preschool, which is cute little kids singing about a dinosaur coming to Shabbat. Then I get to meet with a wedding couple and their parents before I marry them on Sunday, then I get to talk to one of my 2239 steering committee members about their role in the coming year and what they might want to take on. Then, I get to prep for Shabbat and get to welcome 100 to 150 people that I know and love after being in the congregation for eight years. I get to greet them on Friday night and bring in Shabbat with them. Days like that are [such] a pleasure.
What are your upcoming goals?
In recent years, the clergy team and I have tried really hard to expand our community and diversify our community to make sure that everybody feels welcome and [feels] like Washington Hebrew is their home. … I want to continue to think about the ways we can continue being as accessible and as open and welcoming as possible.
It was one of our goals that if you were to come into Washington Hebrew, I want someone who doesn’t work here to say “hello” to you within 30 seconds. We did that, and that feels really good, and I want to build on that.
