“I am like an olive tree in the house of God, trusting in God's faithful love forever.  I will praise You always for what You have done.  I will proclaim before the faithful that Your name is good.”
                                                              Psalms 52:10-11

From olive trees comes the produce of the pure oil which was used for the eternal light in the desert sanctuary.  This oil symbolizes the possibility for purity when care and love is taken to extract it.  The olive branch also recalls the symbol from the Noah story of peace after the storm, and the idea of gam zeh ya'avor, “this too shall pass.”  There is a time and a place for everything under the sun, as Ecclesiastes reminds us; though passing from one state to another is not the simple fact that time marches along, but counsels us to remember that through a conscious life, there is promise for peace and beauty when we take an active role.

I come to love God’s way and God’s people because I have been afforded the awesome gift of tremendous love.  The rabbinate is an opportunity to share and spread that love through Judaism.

After completing a BA at Brandeis University and a Masters of Theological Studies at Boston University School of Theology, Rabbi Elyssa Joy Auster went on to pursue her love of God and Torah in the rabbinate.  Rabbi Auster received smicha (ordination) and a Masters of Jewish Education from pluralistic Hebrew College.  Rabbi Auster has worked as educator, rabbi, and cantor in Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, and perhaps most notably, Alaska.  Rabbi Auster also continues her work as an artist in multiple mediums.  She creates colorful and unique tallitot (Jewish prayer shawls) and tzitzit (fringes), which you will see her wearing.  She has a passion for the Holy One which manifests through song, movement, meditation, Torah study, and deep human connection.