As a mother of three and a senior vice president for Merrill Wealth Management, Talya Bock is pressed for free time. But she spends most of it on Jewish life, observing Shabbat in her home, maintaining memberships at two synagogues, DC Minyan and Adas Israel Congregation, and serving as a trustee for the Jewish Theological Seminary and as president of the Hadar Institute, an organization that helps Jews build egalitarian communities.
Bock, 39 and a resident of the District’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, talked to WJW about how Judaism provides her with a strong foundation.
Why is Judaism so important to you?
It’s core to my identity. It’s who I am. Yes, having three kids under 6 and a career means my days are full. But thankfully I have Shabbat every week. It’s my respite. It’s the time when I connect with my family and my spirituality and with God. It’s my time when I spend 25 hours without using any electronics.
The other piece is that it’s my community. It’s my village. It’s my husband and family. And the other piece is that it’s my friends. The people who are part of the DC Minyan community.
When did Shabbat become crucial to your week?
I grew up in a Shabbat-observant home. It’s been an important ritual as far back as I can remember. Even when I backpacked Southeast Asia solo in my 20s, I stopped for Shabbat.
It grows more important for me as the years pass. I love lighting candles with my kids and jumping up and down and singing Shabbat shalom.
I grew up in a vibrant Jewish community in Newton, Mass. We often had guests for Shabbat meals. From an early age, I was expected to sit at the table and listen, and I learned a tremendous amount from the adult perspectives.
The other thing I loved as a kid was that Shabbat afternoon was a time I just hung out with friends. We didn’t watch TV. We hung outside. We talked. We played sports. It was my favorite time of the week.
Are you carrying on the same rituals today with your kids?
Definitely playing with friends without TV. My 6-year-old is almost at the point of sitting with the adults. We have playground dates at the park or picnic dates with people in our community.
You mentioned DC Minyan as your community. What do you do there each week?
We meet every other Shabbat morning or Friday night for services, as well as on holidays. It’s about prayer. There’s kid services. We’re a minyan. It’s a lay-led community, completely volunteer run. The person who gives the d’var Torah is a community member. The person who leads the service is a community member. Everybody pitches in.
What role do you play?
I lead adult services and kids’ services. I serve on the finance committee.
You belong to a Conservative congregation, Adas Israel, and a chavurah-style community, DC Minyan. Why is the balance between those two important to your Jewish practice?
My family belonged both to a modern Orthodox synagogue and a chavurah-style minyan. I am in many ways following in my parents’ footsteps.
I’m drawn to Jewish causes that combine a deep commitment to feminism and equality with a serious study of Torah. I’m not interested in a denomination. I’m interested in vibrant, spirited, feminist, literate Judaism that takes Torah seriously. Jewish texts are so rich.
Let’s say there’s a Jewish person who wants to get more serious about reading Torah. What would your advice be on how to read it?
The thing about Torah is that it is accessible to everyone. There is a famous talmudic story where rabbis are talking and an angel comes out and says, the answer is not in the heavens. The Torah is meant to be held by everybody. Just start somewhere.
You’ve been able to have three kids before the age of 40 and advance to a senior vice president role in your career. What would your advice be to other women on how to do both at the same time?
With a lot of help. A lot of help from my husband [Raphael Cohen]. A wonderful nanny. From my extended family. I’m blessed to have a large, close family. I’m one of four. My husband is one of four. I also have an amazing team at work.
It’s also been with a lot of hard work. Working after the kids go to sleep. I compartmentalize. When I’m at home on Shabbat with my kids, I can forget work. When I’m at work with a client going over their portfolio, I can focus on work.
