Rabbis Donna Cephas, Sandra Lawson and Michael Hess Webber each took very different paths to becoming Reconstructionist rabbis. Despite disparate journeys, the three religious leaders have continuously demonstrated dedication, creativity and an ability to inspire others. Their stories share an additional element: their paths to the rabbinate were once blocked because their partners are not Jewish.

“We’re not being chased to the edge. We’re running toward it. The edge is always in front of us.”*
I’m Cyd Weissman, Vice President for Innovation and Impact at Reconstructing Judaism.
Our rapidly changing times demand bold new ways to access the joy and wisdom of Judaism. To meet today’s challenges, Reconstructionists work at the edge of what is known to uncover the innovations that enliven Judaism in people’s lives.
The phrase, “Toward the Edge,” captures how synagogues, havurot, startups and academics are shaping grounded and groundbreaking approaches to Judaism. The initiatives cataloged here on the EdgeBlog respond to the question “What’s possible for the Jewish community and our world when we risk stepping to the edge of what’s known?”
In my job, I get to meet bold innovators in the Jewish community who are walking away from the status quo and running toward the edge. Their stories inspire and reveal practical advice for creating the leading edge. Let’s journey together—Toward the Edge!
- *. Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., President of Reconstructing Judaism Quoted from Faithful, a report on how faith communities are adapting to declining institutional religious affiliation and growing interest in emerging spiritual communities. Faithful was supported by the Fetzer Institute, the Texas Methodist Foundation, and Harvard Divinity School.

“We’re not being chased to the edge. We’re running toward it. The edge is always in front of us.”*
I’m Cyd Weissman, Vice President for Innovation and Impact at Reconstructing Judaism.
Our rapidly changing times demand bold new ways to access the joy and wisdom of Judaism. To meet today’s challenges, Reconstructionists work at the edge of what is known to uncover the innovations that enliven Judaism in people’s lives.
The phrase, “Toward the Edge,” captures how synagogues, havurot, startups and academics are shaping grounded and groundbreaking approaches to Judaism. The initiatives cataloged here on the EdgeBlog respond to the question “What’s possible for the Jewish community and our world when we risk stepping to the edge of what’s known?”
In my job, I get to meet bold innovators in the Jewish community who are walking away from the status quo and running toward the edge. Their stories inspire and reveal practical advice for creating the leading edge. Let’s journey together—Toward the Edge!
- *. Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., President of Reconstructing Judaism Quoted from Faithful, a report on how faith communities are adapting to declining institutional religious affiliation and growing interest in emerging spiritual communities. Faithful was supported by the Fetzer Institute, the Texas Methodist Foundation, and Harvard Divinity School.
Yom Kippur is our people’s day for a grand pause to look back and to look ahead.
As we look back, I am honestly saying, and if you would like, join me in saying:
“Let me be a little sad,” or, if needed, “deeply sad,” for the things we’ve lost during this most unimaginable year.
Now that Joe Biden has telegraphed his pick for vice president, Kamala Harris, let’s give credit to the woman who stepped out first: Victoria Claflin Woodhull. In 1872, before women had the right to vote, Woodhull ran for president against Ulysses S. Grant. Since then, according to Rutgers University, at least 31 women have made serious bids to be president or vice president of the United States. Six of those women ran twice. You know how many have won. Now, at this historic moment, I’m thinking a lot about women and power.
Zoom Shabbat minyan has done little for me. I’ve tried it repeatedly. But I find praying or learning via Zoom more work-like than spirit-filled. So for pandemic Shabbat enrichment, I regularly access Reconstructing Judaism’s Virtual Shabbat Box (VSB). Every Thursday, with contactless delivery, the VSB arrives in my inbox. I click to find a variety of ways to engage while sitting on my sofa. Essays, videos, poetry, podcasts are weekly offered in the VSB and a welcomed part of my re-imagined Shabbat experience.
The calendar says the school year should end. However, many Jewish educators, witnessing the effects of the pandemic on their students, and now civic unrest, are challenging the calendar’s norms. Instead of closing down the year, they are asking, “How might we continue to engage our students through the summer?”
Crystal clear to me, now, is that all the coffees, the story sharing and listening, and the showing up, has resulted in the cultivation of a most rare commodity in our society. Trust.
More and faster describes my usual work habit. I’ve operated this way for decades. But daily, I’m learning to take a breath so my work is not solely about tasks; it is infused with soul.
Reflections on lessons learned in a network of network weavers
We train rabbis to be social entrepreneurs: applying a business-like discipline to creating solutions to social justice, cultural and environmental issues.
Is grit the key to success for social entrepreneurs? Ariana Katz suggests that the answer lies elsewhere.
Ross Berkowitz discusses designing Jewish engagement experiences for Millennials.
Synagogues engage one-third of the United States’ Jewish population. What role might they take to serve the spiritual, communal and religious needs of the other two-thirds (the majority) who don’t choose synagogue membership as an expression of their Judaism? Cyd Weissberg explores.
How do startup leaders break through the barrage of urgent tasks to reflect and plan? We speak with Avi Deutsch, co-founder and CEO of LAVAN, to learn his secrets.
Cyd Weissman interviews Avi Rubel, a successful social entrepreneur, about taking risks when launching a new venture.
Cyd Weissman reports back from the leading edge of Jewish innovation.
Cyd Weissman interviews the founder of Hot Dudes Reading to glean lessons on marketing, sustainability, and collaboration.
Cyd Weissman interviews a couple who are are successfully leading a startup guided by the Jewish principle of hevrutah, Aramaic for friendship or companionship.
“Fail Forward” is the mantra of entrepreneurs. Take risks. You will fail, guaranteed. Learn from it. Once a little smarter, boldly launch again. Entrepreneurs believe, as Robert Kennedy did, “to achieve greatness, you have to fail greatly.”
To thrive in changing times, Lisa Colton, founder and President of Darim Online, elegantly demonstrates the “two-step” of entrepreneurial leadership.
Launching a Jewish start-up? Todd Shotz says there are signficant advantages to going the way of a for-profit company.
Learning fundraising on the fly is actually possible, according to Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Executive Director of Mechon Hadar.
Rabbi Sara Luria says there are four things you can do to stay strong in the early days of a startup.
Do we adopt "entrepreneurial ideas" wholesale, or tinker with them to reflect on our projects of social value? Cyd Weissman interviews Hebrew University professor, Jonathan Mirvis to find out.
Profile of Rabbi Sid Schwarz's approach to creating entrepreneurial Jewish structures
Profile of social entrepreneur Aliza Kline's approach to design thinking
Profile of social entrepreneur Lynn Lancaster, co-founder of Sababa Surf Camp.
