BATH

After an exhaustive national search, Beth Israel Congregation in Bath has welcomed Lisa Vinikoor as their new Rabbi. Rabbi Vinikoor moves to Bath from Brooklyn, New York, and will start as the spiritual leader of Beth Israel on Aug. 1. Rabbi Vinikoor will also be working with Bowdoin College’s Jewish student group during the academic year beginning in late August. Joining Rabbi Vinikoor in Bath is her wife, Dr. Alyssa Finn, hired by Mid Coast- Parkview Hospital as a family medicine physician in their new Brunswick office.

“We are so pleased to announce the selection of Rabbi Vinikoor as our new Beth Israel Rabbi,” said Marilyn Weinberg, president of the congregation.

Rabbi Vinikoor graduated in May from Hebrew Union College in New York City. Born and raised in Vermont, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in history from Smith College and her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts. Before moving to Brooklyn for her rabbinical studies, Rabbi Vinikoor lived in the greater Boston area for fourteen years and worked as an elementary school teacher and later a social justice community organizer with interfaith communities. In New York, she has taught in religious schools in reform and conservative synagogues and worked with the Union of Reform Judaism helping congregations develop social justice initiatives and strengthen congregational life. Most recently, she served as a racial justice organizer with Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, where she worked with their senior rabbi to lead a team of 25 congregants, engaging hundreds in the congregation, to help win passage of significant state-wide criminal justice reform.

Regarding her new position, Rabbi Vinikoor reflects, “I look forward to moving back to New England, and I’m honored to join Beth Israel Congregation in the important and holy work of strengthening Jewish life in Midcoast Maine.”

For more information and history visit bethisraelmaine.org.

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