INVESTING IN COURAGEOUS JEWISH LEADERSHIP
In honor of Rabbi Deborah Waxman’s 13 years as President and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism, we are proud to launch The Rabbi Deborah Waxman Fund for Innovative Leadership.Â
This fund invests in the future of a Jewish movement that is both deeply rooted and boldly relevant—one that meets today’s challenges with intellectual rigor, moral courage, and a commitment to relationship-centered innovation. It will ensure that Reconstructing Judaism continues to model a Judaism capable of holding nuance, complexity, and difference while actively shaping new forms of communal life.Â
A Legacy of Courageous Engagement
Throughout the most challenging moments of the past decade—when polarization intensified and many institutions retreated from hard conversations—Deborah chose courageous engagement.Â
She leaned in rather than pulling back, insisting that meaningful progress comes through sustained dialogue, careful listening, and a willingness to be changed by encounter. Under her leadership, disagreement became an opportunity for learning, and complexity became a source of strength rather than a liability.Â
Deborah has consistently reminded us that covenantal community is built not on sameness, but on shared values practiced across difference and over generations.Â
A Trailblazing Leader
As the first woman rabbi and LGBTQ person to lead a national Jewish denomination in North America, Deborah brought the insight of a trailblazer into her leadership.Â
She has used that position not simply to break barriers, but to widen them—creating space for voices too often marginalized or excluded and modeling a culture of genuinely inclusive, relational dialogue. Her leadership demonstrates that innovation in Jewish life is inseparable from justice, humility, and the courage to name hard truths.Â
Strengthening the Reconstructionist Voice
Deborah also transformed how the Reconstructionist movement is seen and heard across the broader Jewish communal landscape.Â
At a time when public discourse often erased Reconstructionist Judaism altogether, she asserted its presence with clarity and confidence. She articulated repeatedly the relevance of a Reconstructionist approach for a rapidly changing world: a Judaism that is intellectually serious, ethically grounded, and unafraid to wrestle openly with the most complex questions of our time.Â
Your Gift Fuels the Next Generation
Contributions to The Rabbi Deborah Waxman Fund for Innovative Leadership honor Deborah’s extraordinary legacy by ensuring that her successor—and the leaders who follow—have the resources to continue this work.Â
The fund will:Â
- Support senior Jewish leaders who embrace wholeness and complexityÂ
- Strengthen relationship-centered leadership across the movementÂ
- Equip leaders to engage courageously with discomfort and disagreementÂ
- Sustain a Judaism that meets this moment with creativity, integrity, and hopeÂ
Why This Matters
Jewish communities today are navigating polarization, institutional distrust, and profound questions about identity and belonging. Many organizations avoid these tensions.Â
Reconstructing Judaism engages them directly.Â
This fund ensures that courageous leadership isn’t situational—it’s sustained.Â
Join Us
A gift to the Rabbi Deborah Waxman Fund for Innovative Leadership is an investment in leaders prepared to meet complexity with confidence and moral imagination.Â
Donation Note: ​​
All contributions to Reconstructing Judaism are tax-deductible as permitted by law. Reconstructing Judaism’s tax ID number is 23-1710675.
Please note: Reconstructing Judaism conducts some business as the entity Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. These names are interchangeable for legal and gift purposes.
Call us at (267) 856‑3525 or email Sophia Barrett with any questions.
Tribute Wall in Honor of Rabbi Deborah Waxman
Mazal tov, Deborah, and thank you for your leadership. —Rabbi Jason Klein, ’02
Thank you, Deborah, for your amazing commitment to the movement during remarkably tumultuous times for the Jewish people, our movement, and the world. You’ve been a stalwart!
—Rabbi David Basior, ’15, & Ariel Zaslav
With deepest gratitude and love. —Barbara Dolgin & Hanna Gafni
Deborah, Thank you for your incredibly hard work, wise energetic leadership and generous spirit as you shepherded Reconstructing Judaism through such challenging years! —Barbara Breitman & Rabbi Avruhm Addison
Yasher Koach on all that you’ve accomplished! May you go from strength to strength! —Rabbi Elisa Goldberg, ’99, & Steve Weinberg
For the blessings you have given each of us. May you enjoy your retirement in good health, with continuing curiosity and a love for healing the world. —Joanne Feltman
In deep appreciation of your vision and steadfastness for Reconstucting Judaism and your love and support for our Pittsburgh Community. —Donna & Bob Coufal
So grateful for your leadership these many years! —Rabbi Nathan Martin, ’06, & Abby Weinberg
Thank you for your brilliant leadership. With gratitude and love. —Rabbi Andrew Klein
Deborah is such a foundational leader and this fund is such an appropriate way to honor her dedication, service and leadership. —Mark and Margie Zivin
Rabbi Deborah, you are a true friend, a fearless leader, a wise spirit and creative maker! —Meredith Barber & Michael Schwager
Mazel tov, Deb! —Leah Mundell
For Deborah — with love, deep admiration and everlasting joy for your work and your presence in our lives… —Carol Blejwas and Steven HolmesÂ
Your leadership will be a hard act to follow, Deborah. I will miss working with you but hope we can keep in touch. with much respect and love. —E. John Riehl
To our friend, rabbi, mentor and fellow traveler. We are grateful to have been part of and witness to your incredible journey. —Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, ’00, & David Nerenberg
With gratitude. —Jessica G. de Koninck
Deborah, your leadership is steadfast and inspirational. Thank you. —Jolley Bruce Christman
Thank you for all you have done for our Movement. May you go from strength to strength! —Rabbi Lina Zerbarini, ’97, & Dinah Mark
Thank you Rabbi Waxman — you have been an inspiration to me. —Zola Golub
Thanks for all you do for our movement and for RRC, as well as your work in the wider world. —Rabbi Robert Tabak, ’77, & Ruth Loew
Deborah — Your leadership has been inspirational and will be deeply missed. With love, Harriet & Fred —Frederick Mehlman & Harriet Gluckman
Thank you for all your years of incredible service and inspiration. With heartfelt appreciation, —Tammy Smiley & Alan Ederer
May this Fund serve as a fitting tribute to the legacy that Deborah has left and that will live on! —Marc Overbeck & Deborah Bellemore
Thank you for being such an inspirational leader. May your next adventures bring you much joy. —Lissy Medvedow & Cliff Cohen
Thank you for your uplifting of interfaith relationships as compelling models for Jewish life. —Annie Prusky
You have done so much for the Jewish movement, thank you every day. Robin & Una. —Robin Grass
May you go from strength to strength! Thank you for all you give to the world. —Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum ’90
Deborah, on behalf of Hal, Ali and myself — we wish you all the best as you chart your next chapter. From B Mitzvah tutor to CEO, we have admired and applauded your leadership. May you go from strength to strength. With love, —Lani & Harold Moss
With gratitude for your leadership, vision, and care in so very many ways! —Rabbi Isaac Saposnik, ’08, & Jeanne Calloway
You have stewarded the movement and the college with great wisdom and care. Yashar koach and may you continue to go from strength to strength —Rabbis Deborah Glanzberg-Krainin, ’96, & David Glanzberg-Krainin
Thank you for your inspired and inspiring leadership! —Rebecca Kanner
Thank you, Rabbi, for your steadfast and forward-thinking leadership over so many years. It’s an honor to be in a movement led by you! —Rahel Smith & Caroline Boyden
Congratulations, Deb! We hope you will continue to enjoy your life, and that we’ll see you in Sarasota next season. —Kayla & John Niles
Thank you for your years of visionary service in challenging times. —Sharon Goldfarb & Brad Glasser, Ph.D.
Mazel Tov Deborah and thank you for your dedication and service to our movement. We look forward to continuing to be RRA colleagues with you as your new chapter unfolds. —Rabbis Laurie Zimmerman ’03 and Renee Bauer ’05
יישר כוחך!!
—Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz, ’97, & Merle Potchinsky
With gratitude for Deborah’s vision, commitment and leadership! —Rabbi Toba Spitzer, ’97
It truly has been wonderful to work with you and to have your support for camp. Mazel Tov on your next chapter. —Judy & Mark Spatz
Thank you for your leadership! —Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann, ’06, & Jon Herrmann
Deborah’s principled and fearless leadership, collegial accessibility, authentic Jewish voice, and insistent calls for justice, compassion, and peace have made her a treasured guide during some very challenging social and political times. —Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub & Simha Rosenberg
As a mom of an RRC student, I can confidently say Rabbi Waxman is a positive influence. I met her once and was impressed in our short conversation. Thank you for mentoring/educating our future. May you have many blessings in your future. —Linda Wallach
