Rabbi
Gail Shuster-Bouskila
My family was originally from Chicago and was very active in the Reconstructionist Movement. We were one of the founding families of JRC in Evanston. (It is now a green synagogue!) I made aliyah
to Israel
in 1978 and finished my rabbinic studies at Hebrew University.
I was ordained at Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College in 1979. I have also earned two degrees in
education—BA
from Northwestern University and MA from Temple University.
My career in Israel
has been in education. While my children were young I taught at the Young Judea Year course in Israel and the Diaspora Museum. I have been
associated with the Open University of Israel since 1985. My most recent position is as
Coordinator for
the Academic Reading Department. I have also taught EFL in the Israeli
school
system and in Meitarim Pluralistic Jewish School, as well as in teacher
education seminars. My work has brought me in contact with a wide range
of
Israelis—Christians, and Arabs, secular and even ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Furthermore
as a parent, I have been active in the PTA of the TALI (Conservative)
Schoolin
Hod Hasharon
Since making aliyah, I have been involved
in many
aspects of liberal Jewish life in Israel. I have counseled
many
people on life cycle events, including women’s issues, marriage,
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
and death and dying. I have lectured around Israel
about modern Midrash,
liberal Judaism and women's issues. I was a member of Mivashe Derech
Congregation (Liberal/Reconstructionist) in Jerusalem from 1978 to 1988. During Hanukkah 2005, I was elected to the position of Chair of the Israel Reconstructionist Foundation; it is my hope that we can strengthen the connections between Reconstructionists in Israel and abroad.
After moving to
the Tel
Aviv area in 1988, I became a member of Hod v’Hadar
(Conservative)
Congregation—leading traditional and
creative
services, torah reading, lecturing for adult education groups, giving
sermons
and serving on the Religious Affairs committee member.
