Rabbi Leora Frankel, Young Pioneers Award Recipient (2016)

Rabbi Leora Frankel, Associate Rabbi of the Community Synagogue of Rye and a Rabbis Without Borders fellow, has deepened teen engagement at the synagogue and reinvigorated the post-B’nai Mitzvah programs through original teen learning experiences like on-site internships and camp models of learning. Among the new teen initiatives she has helped launch are a Teen Philanthropy Foundation, the “M.I.T.- Madrichim-in-Training” (teaching assistants) course, and a pilot cohort of Teen Mentors working with upcoming B’nai Mitzvah students.  Rabbi Frankel has also partnered with The Jewish Education Project to bring together the teens from four local congregations for a series of hands-on Social Action Sundays. She has transformed the teen program to include multiple pathways to Jewish learning and leadership and infused the joy and magic of Jewish summer camp into the congregation.