Alysa Stanton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rabbi Alysa Stanton
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 (born August 2, 1963) is a special American Reform rabbi. She is known for being the first African American woman to become a rabbi. She was officially made a rabbi on June 6, 2009. In August 2009, she started working at Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina. This made her 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.

Early Life and Learning

Alysa Stanton was born in Cleveland, Ohio. When she was 11, her family moved to Denver, Colorado. She grew up in a Christian church. But at age 24, she decided to become Jewish. She said she felt like she was "born Jewish" even though her family wasn't Jewish. She went to Colorado State University. There, she earned a degree in psychology in 1988. She also got a master's degree in education in 1992.

Her Career Journey

Before becoming a rabbi, Alysa Stanton worked as a psychotherapist. She helped people who were dealing with sadness and loss. For example, she spoke to people in Columbine after the sad high school shooting in 1999.

At first, she wanted to become a cantor. A cantor is a person who leads songs and prayers in a synagogue. But she heard that women could not have leadership jobs like that. Later, she saw a woman who was a cantor. This made her decide to study and become a rabbi instead.

Alysa Stanton went to Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. This is a special school for people who want to become Reform Jewish rabbis. She has said that being the first Black woman rabbi is not her main focus. She tries to be the best person and the best rabbi she can be. She believes that being "first" was just a lucky chance.

In August 2009, Rabbi Stanton became the leader of Congregation Bayt Shalom. This was a small synagogue in Greenville, North Carolina. Most of the people in this synagogue were white. This was a big step, as she was the first African American rabbi to lead a mostly white congregation. The president of the synagogue said that her being a woman or being Black did not affect their choice to hire her. They were proud of their community for choosing her based on her skills. In 2011, her contract with the synagogue ended.

See also

• Jewish African-Americans
• Timeline of women rabbis