Her Story
About Danielle
My typical day involves preparing lesson plans, outreach to families, and pastoral care. I spend time checking email, following up on meetings and networking with colleagues and other community leaders. On good weeks, I engage in community service like beach cleanups or volunteering at food banks. If it's a really good day, I start with my Peloton exercise while managing my family life as a married mother with kids. I'm definitely moving in a lot of directions all at once and rely heavily on my planner to keep my day in check. One of my most notable achievements is the multimedia course I directed and produced for MyJewishLearning.com - an 8-part series on journey into Jewish spirituality. The course has been taken by thousands of participants since it was produced 3 years ago, and I'm proud that I was able to create content that delivers an important message and allows people to understand Jewish concepts in a way that are relatable. More recently, I successfully started a small family-focused religious school from scratch, hiring teachers, recruiting families, and creating a warm and welcoming environment for children and their families to learn more about their faith and its relevance for their contemporary lives. Beyond my congregational work, I'm also a professional singer who has released a CD and singles available for streaming. I love making music, singing, and songwriting.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Danielle
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice really came from my dad, who was very successful in business, and he said it's always important to keep your sense of humor. I think it is important because there are a lot of people who are gonna try to derail you, or make it about them, or turn a situation around, and so it's always important to, you know, when possible, to keep conversation light, even when you're talking about something meaningful. I think humor really helps to cut through some challenging times. When I was just starting out in my career, even thinking about being a rabbi, maybe the best advice was that someone said don't do it, because I won't be taken seriously. And I think I've proved them wrong. So sometimes you get bad advice, and you kind of take it for what it is, and then you do what you need to do anyway.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say that young women are unstoppable, and that you can do whatever you set your mind to do. Don't be dissuaded by careers that are traditionally hegemonically male-centered careers. The women's voice and mind and heart have a place in all fields and all industries. Don't let being a minority prevent you from doing what you want to do or what you feel called to do.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
For me personally, as a Jewish leader, this is a challenging time for the Jewish community. The challenges include working through hateful ideology that's kind of out there right now, or miseducation and misunderstanding about the beauty of what Judaism has to offer. I think a personal challenge is just staying on point and not getting distracted by a lot of the negativity and chaos that's around us. It's about staying true to who I am and the work that I'm doing, and staying on my course, knowing that this is important work that has to be done, even in difficult times or even in typical times.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being kind is most important to me. I value being a good listener and staying steady, not letting emotions run out of control. I believe in showing up open-hearted and kind-hearted. Being prepared is essential, and I'm committed to being diligent and keeping on doing the work.
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