Judaism, says Kenneth Carr, “can elevate our lives out of the mundane into the sacred.” And as Congregation Beth Am’s new assistant rabbi, he’s determined to “help people find their way on that path” — with or without bursting into song.
Carr, a recent graduate of the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union College, joined the Los Altos Hills synagogue July 1.
“So far it’s been wonderful. [Beth Am] is a terrifically warm and welcoming community. The congregation is dynamic and has a lot of interesting and challenging programs,” says Carr, a Boston native.
“What is exciting is that Beth Am is in the middle of a several-year process of creating an overall education program, permeating every aspect of congregational life,” he says. “Now we’re trying to see how to make [the program] happen, not just in theory but in practice.”
Carr was ordained earlier this summer at HUC’s Cincinnati campus. Previously, he earned a Harvard B.A. as well as master’s degrees in Jewish education and Hebrew letters at HUC’s Los Angeles campus.
It was during his sophomore year at Harvard that Carr decided to pursue a career in the rabbinate.
“Judaism was always a central component of my life, thanks mostly to my parents,” he recalls. “I knew I wanted to be counseling and teaching, to be involved with people and in the Jewish community.”
During his training, Carr was a Wexner fellow, participating in a prestigious program that provides Jewish leadership training. He praised the program for embracing Jews at various levels of observance and in diverse professions and for creating ties among the various Jewish movements. He and the other fellows still regularly share issues and ideas via the Internet.
During his training, he actively participated in congregants’ life-cycle events.
Marking human transitions with ritual, he says, is “an increased source of joy at the happy moments and a solid source of comfort in the sad moments.”
Carr’s wife, Rebecca, earned a joint master’s degree in Jewish communal services and social work from HUC and University of Southern California. While Carr finished his rabbinical studies, she worked as a campaign associate at the Jewish Community Federation in Cincinnati.
Outside the synagogue, Carr enjoys hiking, skiing, jogging and baseball. “I’m starting to explore the trails in the area,” says the assistant rabbi, whose wife is expecting the couple’s first child in November. “It’s just one of the great things about the Bay Area.”
He looks forward to working with the synagogue’s younger members. His interest in music should endear him to young congregants.
“I love singing and think music is a great entree [into Judaism] and a great educational tool, a way to involve people who may not otherwise be involved,” he said.
“It’s another way to learn.”