Alysa Stanton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alysa Stanton
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Stanton at the White House
|
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 2, 1963 Cleveland, Ohio |
| Education | Colorado State University; Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion |
| Occupation | Rabbi |
Alysa Stanton was born on August 2, 1963. She is an American rabbi, which is a Jewish religious leader. She made history as the first African American woman to become a rabbi.
Alysa Stanton was officially made a rabbi on June 6, 2009. In August 2009, she started working at Congregation Bayt Shalom. This is a synagogue, or Jewish place of worship, in Greenville, North Carolina. It was special because she was the first African American rabbi to lead a synagogue where most members were white. Alysa Stanton became Jewish when she was 24 years old. Before becoming a rabbi, she studied and worked as a therapist.
Her Early Life and Studies
Alysa Stanton was born in Cleveland, Ohio. When she was 11, her family moved to Denver, Colorado. She grew up in the Church of God in Christ. At age 24, she decided to become Jewish. She had thought about different Eastern religions before this. She once said she felt she was "born Jewish—just not to a Jewish womb."
She went to Colorado State University. In 1988, she earned her bachelor's degree in psychology. She then earned a master's degree in education in 1992.
Becoming a Leader
Before becoming a rabbi, Alysa Stanton worked as a therapist. She helped people who were dealing with sadness and loss. For example, she was asked to speak to people in Columbine after a sad event at the high school in 1999.
At first, she wanted to become a cantor, who leads songs in a synagogue. But she heard that women could not have leadership roles in Jewish faith. Later, she saw a woman who was a cantor. This made her decide to study to become a rabbi.
Alysa Stanton graduated from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. This is a special school for training Reform Jewish leaders. She has said that being the first Black woman rabbi is not her main focus. She tries to be "the best human being, the best rabbi I can be." She believes that being first was "just the luck of the draw."
In August 2009, Alysa Stanton became the rabbi of Congregation Bayt Shalom. This was a small synagogue in Greenville, North Carolina. This made her the first African American rabbi to lead a synagogue where most members were white. The president of the synagogue said that her being African American or a woman did not affect their decision to hire her. He said, "when she got on the pulpit during her visit, it was totally comfortable." Her contract with the congregation ended on July 31, 2011.
