I am committed to expanding the Jewish community with a welcoming attitude and a listening ear. This commitment extends to holding compassion for the congregational community and the entire world.
Relational Family Engagement
I have directed community-building efforts for young families by leading key events and services. After recognizing that families lost momentum with too many offerings, I partnered with staff to strategically restructure the programming to a more limited, high-impact schedule. This led to a significant increase in engagement and fostered the creation of organic community groups (chavurahs) that have resulted in lasting family connections outside of the synagogue. I also guided and supported the organizing and implementation of the annual “Summer of Shalom” events.
Practicing hagbah during our Family Friendly Shabbat service (2024). 
Tot Havdalah fun singing Chicken in a Pot while pretending to make soup (2025). 
Welcome Back BBQ Shabbat Dinner with Families (2024). 
Helping to lead Tot Havdalah (2023). 
Summer of Shalom: Temple families coming together for various events throughout the summer. This event was going to the movies together in our own private theater (2022)! 
Spending time with our families at Temple events (2024). 
Celebrating Hanukkah with our Staff at our Hanukkah in the Hill Country all-ages event (2024). 
Reading a story to the families during our Family Friendly Shabbat service (2024). 
Sharing ice cream at URJ’s Greene Family Camp with our Temple kids in second session (2025). 
Spending time with our families at Temple events (2024). 
Temple Beth-El delegation to URJ’s Greene Family Camp with our Camp Committee members (2024). 
While Summer of Shalom is focused on families with young children, some of our teens joined us for ice cream at our Friday Freeze event (2023). 
Practicing hagbah during our Family Friendly Shabbat service (2024). 
Leading an interactive d’var Torah at URJ’s Greene Family Camp (2024). 
Leading Tot Havdalah (2023). 
Temple Beth-El delegation to URJ’s Greene Family Camp with our Camp Committee members (2023). 
Families spending time with each other at Temple’s Hanukkah celebration (2024). 
Officiating at a baby naming during our Family Friendly Shabbat service (2024). 
Reading a story at Tot Havdalah (2023). 
Temple Beth-El’s 2nd session campers, staff, and faculty at URJ’s Greene Family Camp (2017). 
Leading Tot Havdalah (2023). 
I brought a group to URJ’s Greene Family Camp’s Family Camp weekend (2019).
Interfaith and Community Partnerships
I have served as a public-facing leader and speaker at large-scale, multi-stakeholder interfaith rallies and programs. I’ve leveraged a strategic relationship with the San Antonio Police Department and the Jewish Community Relations Council to successfully advocate for a change in programming for a city-wide interfaith event (2024). As a result, San Antonio was one of the only cities in the nation to adjust its schedule to accommodate the Jewish community.
I have also fostered interfaith relations by creating and facilitating programming with the Archdiocese of San Antonio, the Ismaili Jamatkhana, and Antioch Baptist Church for MLK Weekend activities. As the synagogue’s representative to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), I have deepened collaborative partnerships to successfully co-lead advocacy initiatives and direct service events.
Our interfaith partners from Antioch Baptist Church at our MLK Shabbat Service Exchange (2025). 
For our Pride Shabbat, we brought in Joy Villarreal-Belford, the Southwest Education & Training Manager for Keshet, as our guest darshanit (2025). 
Ismaili Jamatkhana, a Muslim organization, brings their 7th and 8th graders to visit Temple every other year (2025). 
Every few months, I participate with San Antonio Jewish Senior Services (SAJSS) by leading Senior Chats. This was one of them where I spent time with my congregant (2025). 
Our @TBE20s30s group had a Hanukkah party at Pinspiration where we did Hanukkah arts and crafts including a glow-in-the-dark splatter paint room (2023). 
Blessing a couple for their 75th wedding anniversary at our Armed Force Shabbat. (July 2017) 
Teaching about Hanukkah to my children’s school with over 80 PreK students (2024). 
We have developed incredible relationships with our law enforcement in San Antonio. Here I am with (now retired) Detective Jeremy Brosh who was the head of our security team at the Jewish community’s Tricentennial celebration for the city of San Antonio. (April 2018) 
@TBE20s30s Hanukkah River Boat Cruise and Dinner (2023). 
Leaders of all faiths, stood with our Muslim brothers and sisters who were targeted with offensive hate speech by a congressional candidate. I delivered a prayer. (March 2020) 
Temple Beth-El members at the Catholic-Jewish Hanukkah Luncheon (2024). 
I recorded a reading of a PJLibrary Hanukkah book for Methodist Children’s Hospital (2022). 
Young Women’s Chavurah (September 2019) 
Attending our congregant’s retirement ceremony from the Air Force with her son (2025). 
Getting to know leaders from the Texas area is always so meaningful when I’m on faculty at URJ’s GFC (2025). 
Attending Hebrew Free Loan of San Antonio’s 100th Anniversary event with Temple members (2024). 
Joining @TBE20s30s for a Hanukkah bowling event (2023). 
Our Young Married Couples Chavurah met for axe throwing (2024). 
Faith and Blue: Working with SAPD and our Interfaith partners to support law enforcement (2024). 
@TBE20s30s having brunch together on a rainy Shabbat morning when we were supposed to have a Shabbat Stroll. (March 2022) 
Sukkot Interfaith Clergy Breakfast (2018). 
Faith and Blue: Working with SAPD and our Interfaith partners to support law enforcement (2024). Pictured with an SAPD officer and congregant. 
Temple Beth-El table at the Planned Parenthood Luncheon (2024). 
Teaching congregants about the tradition of the Schach challenge where you wear clothes with items on them that could be for a sukkah throughout the week (2024)! 
I offered a blessing for our scouts (both BSA and GSA) during Shabbat services. It allowed them to get a patch. Not all of them are Jewish or our congregants (2020). 
San Antonio Pride Parade with clergy from Travis Park Church. (June 2019) 
Our trivia team at the Temple Beth-El 150th Anniversary Trivia event (2025). 
Faith and Blue: Working with SAPD and our Interfaith partners to support law enforcement (2024). 
Temple Beth-El table at the Catholic-Jewish Hanukkah Luncheon (2024). 
Every few months, I participate with San Antonio Jewish Senior Services (SAJSS) by leading Senior Chats (2024). 
@TBE20s30s Hanukkah River Boat Cruise and Dinner (December 2021) 
Faith and Blue: Working with SAPD and our Interfaith partners to support law enforcement (2024). Pictured with Dr. Lisa Epstein, Director of JFSATX’s JCRC, and SAPD Chief McManus. 
For our @TBE20s30s, we try to have Shabbat Strolls during months that are not too hot. (April 2019) 
MLK 32nd Annual City-Wide Interfaith Worship Service (January 2019) 
Temple Beth-El San Antonio MLK March participants (January 2019) 
Joining at URJ’s Greene Family Camp for Shabbat with our Temple Camp Committee members (2024). 
I chose to share a sermon about Mahsa Amini and #WomenLifeFreedom. I reached out to our local Persian community and built relationships with them that are ongoing (2022). 
I traveled to Israel with colleagues for a join HUC-JIR and Ministry of Foreign Affairs program. We had the opportunity to meet with President Rivlin. (March 2016) 
Faith and Blue: Working with SAPD and our Interfaith partners to support law enforcement (2023). 
Sukkot Interfaith Clergy Breakfast (2017). 
Faith and Blue: Working with SAPD and our Interfaith partners to support law enforcement (2023).
Rabbi Marina Yergin 