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Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez

Core Semikha, Class of 2018

Scholten-Gutierrez

Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez is a values-driven Jewish educator, relationship-focused community builder, and strategic visionary leader who brings her genuine joyful Judaism approach, based on her favorite verse “serve God with joy,” to all that she does to serve the community, both professionally and personally.

Rabba Melissa is a consultant focused on bringing her experience in experiential education, infusing Jewish wisdom, non-profit leadership, mentorship/coaching, and developing engagement strategies to organizations nationwide. She is also the Grants Manager for the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta where she has previously been an involved lay leader and was amongst the first cohort of women in their ACT: Agents of Change Training fellowship. Rabba Melissa is also a dedicated community leader, currently serving on National Council of Jewish Women’s (NCJW) Rabbi’s for Repro Advisory Board, Atlanta Rabbinical Associaton’s Executive Committee, and is the inaugural Advisory Chair for A Mitzvah to Eat. She is also learning in M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education’s Senior Educators Cohort 7. Rabba Melissa most recently served as the Director of Family Education and Engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, where she oversaw PJ Library, the Jewish Camp Initiative, and a number of other Jewish engagement-related initiatives.

Rabba Melissa received semikha (rabbinic ordination) from Maharat and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois. She has also learned intensively at Nishmat and Pardes in Jerusalem and worked for JEWISHcolorado, JCC Manhattan, Hillel International, and Global Day of Jewish Learning. Rabba Melissa enjoys writing in her “free time” and has been published in a number of print and digital forums.

publications and media

Title
Type
Category
Topic
Year
An Intention for Eating on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
September 29, 2022
Rosh Hashanah Message for 2024
In the News
Rosh Hashanah
September 25, 2024
I’m turning my rage about women dying from lack of reproductive care into action. You can, too.
In the News
Reproductive Rights
2024
Power Hour of Torah - High Holiday 5782 Edition
Multimedia; Dvar Torah
Video Divrei Torah; Panels and Discussions; Holiday
Yamim Noraim
5782/2021
Abortion is a Religious Right
In the News
Abortion
February 16, 2021
Life, Death, or Both?
Dvar Torah
Bereishit
Chayei Sarah
2017/5778
Save the World - Together
Dvar Torah
Bamidbar
Pinchas
2017/5777
Memories and Journeys
Dvar Torah
Devarim
Devarim
2019/5779
Arba Minim, Arba Devarim
Dvar Torah
Holiday
Sukkot / Simkhat Torah
2017/5778
Love, Light and Latkes
Dvar Torah
Holiday
Chanukah
2018/5779
Celebrating Unity: How the Four Mitzvot Bring Us Together
Dvar Torah
Holiday
Purim
2016/5776
International Women's Talmud Day - Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Multimedia
Video Divrei Torah
2020/5780
From the Beit Midrash to the Boardroom - An Exploration of Jewish Leadership
Multimedia
Panels and Discussions
2018/5779
Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez - 2018 Yeshivat Maharat Semikha Ceremony
Multimedia
Graduations
Sixth Semikha Ceremony
June 18, 2018
Aseret Yemei Teshuva 5779/2018 - Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez '18
Multimedia; Holiday
Video Divrei Torah; Holiday
Rosh Hashana; Yom Kippur
2018/5779
Metzora and Mashiach
Dvar Torah
Vayikra
Tazria; Metzora
2018/5778
A Chanukah Message from Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Dvar Torah
Holiday
Chanukah
December 9, 2020
Framing Our Communal Grief
In the News
May 7, 2020

mentions

Title
Publication
Published
Jewish Law Invites Complex Questions On Abortion
Religion Unplugged
September 9, 2022
Groups launched to help Jewish couples with IVF face uncertain landscape after Roe reversal
Jewish Journal
July 13, 2022
Making the World a Better Place
Unorthobox
August 1, 2022
Abortion is a Religious Right
Atlanta Jewish Times
February 16, 2021

books

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