Submitted by Jeff Bassin, Northern Hills Synagogue
Northern Hills Synagogue will celebrate the promotion of Rabbi Samantha Schapera to the position of Associate Rabbi on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The ceremony and gala will take place at the synagogue and begin at 7:00 p.m. The entire community is invited to attend.
Rabbi Schapera has served Northern Hills as Program Director since 2019. Her elevation to the role of Associate Rabbi reflects the additional responsibilities she will be undertaking. A native of Cleveland, Rabbi Schapera moved to Cincinnati in 2009 to attend the University of Cincinnati. After receiving her bachelor’s degrees in Judaic Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, she worked as a State Tested Nurse’s Aide at Cedar Village. She moved to Jerusalem in 2014 to begin her rabbinic studies at Hebrew Union College before moving back to Cincinnati in 2015. She was ordained at HUC in 2019. During her first year at Northern Hills, Rabbi Schapera also worked as a part-time rabbi at Cedar Village, and currently teaches a course at HUC.
Since ordination, Rabbi Schapera has served on numerous boards, including the Diversity and Inclusion Commissions for the City of Montgomery and the Alzheimer’s Association and is currently on the Planning Commission for the Festival of Faiths.
Rabbi Schapera has created exciting programs for the Northern Hills community that include the Women’s Care Collective, funded by the Thelma Masten Foundation, where young Jewish women can meet new people and learn new skills at art studios around the city. She lives in Montgomery with her husband, Jason, three children and a cat.
The doors will open at 6:45 p.m., with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception beginning at 7:00 p.m. The installation ceremony will take place at 8:00 p.m., with Rabbi Matthew Kraus, head of the Judaic Studies program at the University of Cincinnati, serving as the installing officer. Dessert and dancing will follow the ceremony. Music for the evening will be provided by DJ Matt Snow. Dietary laws will be observed. Cocktail attire is suggested.
Connie Hinitz, president of Northern Hills, remarked, “Five years ago, the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati granted us the funds to reimagine the way we engage others in Jewish life. We were fortunate to hire Rabbi Schapera as our program director immediately following her ordination. Her wisdom, creativity, and compassion have inspired everyone who meets her. We are thrilled by her willingness to take on the challenges of becoming our Associate Rabbi.”
Rabbi Schapera observed, “For the past five years, Northern Hills has been my Jewish, spiritual, and professional home. The members of the NHS community have welcomed me as their rabbi and as their friend, and I am so grateful for the love and support they’ve provided to me and my family. I’m so excited to continue my rabbinic journey as the Associate Rabbi of Northern Hills.”
For more information or to RSVP, please call Northern Hills Synagogue or consult its website.
