Rabbi Reaches Milestone At North Shore Congregation Israel

From North Shore Congregation Israel: In the almost two decades that Rabbi Lisa Greene has served North Shore Congregation Israel, she has seen it all – the happiness shared by families, the comfort she offers the bereaved and even the best hiding places her children have discovered at the Glencoe synagogue.

And she says she wouldn’t trade any of her experiences.

“My rabbinate at NSCI is a gift each and every day,” Greene said. “I am grateful that this community has entrusted me to teach and mark sacred moments. I am grateful for the opportunities to create new rituals and teach our children from babies through centenarians.”

On Aug. 25, the congregation will honor Greene, who is marking her 18th year at NSCI. Eighteen is a spiritual number in Jewish culture, representing the importance of life. A dinner is planned at the Glencoe synagogue following the evening services.

“My rabbinate is about the joy of teaching and the love of education,” Greene said. “I am always seeking ways to empower our congregants by creating opportunities for them to connect and to make a difference in the world.”

Synagogue president Jody Weinberg said Rabbi Greene makes a difference every day in the lives of the congregants and the community.

“We are lucky to have such a dynamic, smart, caring and thoughtful woman as part of our NSCI family,” Weinberg said.

According to Greene, one of her proudest achievements has been the creation of a program for adults to become a bar or bat mitzvah. This is the Jewish ritual for youth who reach age 13. But many adults, for a variety of reasons, were never able to do so as a young adult.

With Greene’s help and guidance, adults who have ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s have studied Hebrew and Judaism and been able to mark this important milestone by reading from the Torah scroll in Hebrew and leading the congregational service.

“NSCI is truly blessed to call Lisa Greene one of our rabbis,” said Senior Rabbi Wendi Geffen. “Lisa has served as a gifted, open-hearted and empowering teacher and friend for countless many in our synagogue for the past 18 years. From exciting our youngest members with Shabbat stories and music, to bringing hundreds of adults through the adult B'nai Mitzvah program, to inspiring the creation of our now well-established women’s Seder and women’s retreat and so much more, Rabbi Greene’s gifts of heart, mind and spirit abound.

“Her care and compassion for our congregation, her devotion and dedication to the Jewish people and commitment to those in need both locally and around the world are but a small part of the inspiring rabbi she is,” Geffen said.

Greene, the daughter of a rabbi, grew up in New Jersey and graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She worked as a securities analyst before deciding to pursue rabbinic studies at the Hebrew-Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. It was her love of Judaism and teaching as well as her desire to make Judaism meaningful and relevant that led to the change, Greene explained.

She has served congregations in Manhattan, Anchorage and Ft. Smith, Arkansas as well as being a visiting student rabbi in Ukraine. After being ordained, Greene moved to Chicago to become the assistant rabbi at Temple Jeremiah in Northfield.

“My father taught through example that there is a meaningful place in a synagogue community for each person who desires it,” Greene said. “My role as a rabbi is to help people find that meaningful place.”

Apart from the synagogue, Greene has spent many summers on the faculty at Olin-San-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI), a Wisconsin camp for Jewish youth, where she teaches Judaism informally and experientially.

Greene is the mother of three children, ages 10 to 13, whom she says are not only the best sources of hiding places at NSCI but also know the best food there, too.

Image via North Shore Congregation Israel