Rabbi Nancy Rita Myers brings her love of Jewish traditions, prayer, and community to Beth David.
Since the summer of 2004, Rabbi Myers has been spiritually leading our temple. She is a warm and enthusiastic leader. Valuing collaboration and communication between lay leadership, congregation members, and staff, she has fostered a community where people feel valued, cared about, and committed to Jewish learning and living Jewish lives.
She has an uncanny ability to work with children and adults of all ages and is a capable innovator. “I see myself as both a teacher and a student,” says Rabbi Myers. “I value the contributions of the many people I converse with. I love delving deeper into our people’s ancient teachings and analyzing how they speak to us today. One of the greatest things about our tradition is our ability to question and challenge ideas. The Torah is replete with so many stories and subjects that beg us to interact, argue, and discuss.”
Rabbi Myers is a native of Buffalo, New York where she was raised in a Reconstructionist synagogue. She received her B.A. in philosophy at Binghamton University, N.Y. in 1991. After college, she was accepted at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she received her Masters of Hebrew Letters, and was ordained as a rabbi in New York City in 1997. For the first six years of her rabbinate, she served as the Associate rabbi of Temple Chai in Long Grove, IL.
Rabbi Myers is a past president of the Orange County Board of Rabbis. In 2022, she received her honorary Doctorate of Divinity at HUC-JIR, commemorating her twenty five years in the rabbinate. She is the author of Awake, Awake, Deborah! This novel is a historical, fictional work about the judge Deborah. Her book can be found at Beth David, Lulu.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
Rabbi Myers describes Beth David as “warm, caring, creative, inter-generational, and musical. I am inspired by the talent, ability, and commitment of so many within our community. Beth David truly is a family for our members as well as for myself. ” Rabbi Myers resides in Orange County and is the mother of two wonderful young adult children, Gabriel (Gabri) and Shane.
Rabbi Myers’ book, Awake, Awake, Deborah! is now available at the Temple office, Cost is $20.00 with 10% going back to Beth David, or online at the following:
Lulu.com Click here to buy on Lulu.com
Amazon: Click here for buy on Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble: Click here to buy Barnes & Noble Link
Awake, Awake, Deborah! A Study Guide is also available at the Temple office, Cost is $10.00 with 10% going back to Beth David, or online at the following:
Amazon: Click here to buy on Amazon.com
Rabbi Myers’ published article in the Spring/Summer edition of the CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly
Deborah, a Woman’s Leadership: When is it Desirable?
Click here for Article
Rabbi Myers would be delighted to answer your questions about our synagogue, Jewish community, or religious practices. You can send a question to the rabbi via e-mail through the temple office.