Student rabbi finds a home in Spokane

Every other month, Devorah Marcus sets her studies aside at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles and boards an airplane for Spokane.

For an entire weekend, the 28-year-old leads services and facilitates Jewish debate and discussion among members of Beth Haverim, a small Reform congregation here. Although she’s technically an intern – a student in her second of a five-year program at HUC – the 42 families who belong to Beth Haverim honor Marcus by calling her “rabbi.”

“Right from the beginning, she talked about what we could do together – you’d think she had been with us for 10 years,” said Henry Berman, president of Congregation Beth Haverim. “She’s very knowledgeable, personable, has a terrific sense of humor and a passion for social justice.”

Although Beth Haverim has had visiting rabbis in the past for the High Holidays, Marcus is the first student rabbi they’ve ever had. Since her first visit in September, the number of people who come to her talks and services has grown.

“It’s an amazing community,” said Marcus, describing her experience with Beth Haverim. “It’s a classic Jewish community with great meals, lots of wisdom and understanding. They’re a dedicated group of caring individuals. There’s just a feeling of warmth when you’re there.”

Originally from Orange County, Marcus grew up in a very active Reform Jewish family where “Judaism came first and the secular came second.” As a kid, she went to Jewish summer camp every year. During her senior year of high school, she took part in “March of the Living,” an international educational program that brings Jewish teens from all over the world to Poland on Holocaust Memorial Day to march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest concentration camp complex built during World War II, and then finally to Israel to observe the country’s Independence Day.

A graduate of Bradley University in Illinois, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication with minors in music and religious studies, Marcus said she spends every day of her life studying Judaism.

“I learn from all my students, regardless if they’re 50 or 5,” said Marcus, describing her experience as a student rabbi. “Learning is a reciprocal process.”

Despite the gains women have made in her faith, there are still people who have a hard time envisioning a woman as a rabbi, she said. The image of a bearded man as the leader of the temple lingers in their minds, she said.

“But when they get past that, they find that women bring a very important balancing force to the equation and they begin to see the advantage of having women in leadership,” Marcus said.

When she comes to Spokane, Marcus begins the weekend by leading Shabbat services Friday night and giving a sermon. For the rest of the weekend, she also provides educational programs for children and teens as well as facilitating discussions among the adults. Although she has only worked with Beth Haverim since the fall, Marcus has been able to establish a relationship with its members, Berman said. She’s helped people out during some difficult times, including the death of a loved one, he said. A gifted musician, Marcus also sings and plays guitar while leading the congregation.

When she’s not there, services at Beth Haverim are led by laypeople.

Temple Beth Shalom – a Conservative congregation and Spokane’s largest with a synagogue on the South Hill – is the only one in the area with a rabbi, Jacob Izakson. The two other Jewish groups, Beth Haverim and Ner Tamid, another Reform congregation, don’t have the financial means to hire a full- or even a part-time rabbi. It takes at least 100 families to support a full-time rabbi, Berman said.

Impressed by Marcus’ knowledge and her ability to relate to people, the Beth Haverim congregation has raised enough money to continue bringing their student rabbi back to Spokane. Beginning September, Marcus will visit the congregation once a month instead of just every other month. “She’s a great fit for us,” Berman said.