Laurie Beth Gold’s Ordination Biography
Laurie was blessed to have been born into a warm family, where
she received the love of her parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle
and brother. Their care and guidance contributed to her optimism
and joyfulness. Laurie was born and raised in New York. When
she was seven, her family moved from Queens to Great Neck.
They became members of Temple Beth El of Great Neck, where
Laurie attended Hebrew School and Youth Group. Laurie became
a Bat Mitzvah, was confirmed, and graduated from Hebrew High
School. She and her mother attended weekly Torah classes
taught by Rabbi Jerome K. Davidson, who inspired Laurie to
become a rabbi.
Laurie graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree
in anthropology. After working as a para-legal at a corporate law
firm, she attended and graduated from law school. Laurie worked
as a trial attorney before enrolling in the Academy for Jewish
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Religion. She appreciates its comprehensive and rigorous
program. Laurie has enjoyed learning from brilliant teachers and
working with the terrific administration and staff at AJR. Laurie
has been fortunate to study with such hard-working and bright
students, including her fellow-ordinees.
While a student at the Academy, Laurie worked as an internchaplain at the Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged in
Manhattan, receiving excellent training and inspiration from
Rabbi Judith Edelstein, D. Min. She currently fills in there for
Rabbi Jonathan Malamy. Laurie learned from Rabbi Eric Milgram
and Cantor Ken Gould while co-leading High Holiday Services,
and from Cantor Lisa Hest and Cantor Daniel Pincus while coleading Shabbat Services. Laurie taught Hebrew school to fourth
through seventh graders in Hastings-on-Hudson.
During her senior year, Laurie served as student rabbi to Rabbi
Solomon Acrish, Ph.D. at Temple Beth Elohim in Brewster, New
York. His guidance and mentorship were invaluable. Laurie
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appreciated working with Rabbi Acrish, as well as cantorial
soloist Robin Sills, organist Richard Sills, the administrators, lay
leaders, and other congregants of Temple Beth Elohim.
Laurie continues to work as rabbi for a cruise-line and as
chaplain at the Chapin Home for the Aging in Queens. Laurie
serves as guest service leader and teacher at numerous
congregations. Laurie also leads Pesach and Tu B’Shevat Seders
and officiates at weddings, funerals, unveilings, and other lifecycle events.
Laurie is grateful for the support her relatives and friends gave
her during her rabbinical school journey. She thanks her mother
for her great love and support. Nancy, Laurie’s amazing wife, has
been a tremendous source of strength and comfort. Laurie feels
she would not have made it through school without Nancy’s deep
love, terrific sense of humor, and enormous care. Laurie feels a
deep gratitude to God, for all the blessings in her life.
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Laurie wishes her rabbinate to be a place where people feel safe
and comfortable when engaging in study, prayer, and ritual. She
wants people to know that they are not compelled to feel or think
the same way as the person sitting next to them. Laurie hopes
her congregants will be involved in Jewish life not because they
feel they have to, or because it will look good to their family
members and friends. Rather, she hopes that people will find that
this way of life can serve as a path to self-love and loving
relationships with God and people.
Laurie knows that to be good people, we must do our part to
make the world a better place than it was before we were born
into it. This concept of Tikkun Ha’olam (repair of the world)
strikes her deeply and influences her feelings and actions. Both
on the bima (altar of a temple) and off, Laurie encourages people
to be kind, refrain from gossip, and see the other person’s point
of view. She does this with her compassion, warmth and sense of
humor. Laurie would feel privileged to lead a community of
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people who say Shabbat Shalom to one another and really mean
it, people who live with a full heart.
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