she/her - Reform

Meet Cantor Webber, your fully virtual conversion to Judaism mentor. As a passionate liturgical artist and life cycle officiant, she dives into rituals, prayers, and calendars through the lens of creative arts. With a knack for turning Jewish texts into poetic wonders, she finds beauty in the intersections of language and spirituality.

Having grown up within the Reform movement, Cantor Webber has journeyed through serving intimate congregations, offering solace as a community chaplain, and crafting heartfelt ceremonies for Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidates with special needs. Her teaching style is nothing short of a warm embrace, creating an inclusive space for all.

Beyond her spiritual pursuits, Cantor Webber is also a certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in the state of Maryland. Through her work with On Our Own of Maryland and the Mental Health Association of MD, she leads workshops that utilize creativity as a powerful tool for wellness and healing.

they/them - Reform

Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer doesn’t rabbi normally. They were ordained by HUC-JIR (Reform Seminary), but then left synagogue-life to teach math to inner-city high school students. Concurrently, they founded Religion-Outside-The-Box (ROTB.org)—a worldwide, internet congregation of over 1,000’s of members seeking spiritualigious provisions without the baggage of mono-dox affiliation. They enjoy writing books, articles, and small bios, making stained glass lamps, and gaining mastery on the French horn. They live in Portland, Oregon and are thinking a lot about pronouns these days.

he/they - Reform

All conversions with Rabbi Siritsky are fully virtual. Rabbi Siritsky speaks French, and they are happy to work with students who would prefer to have a French-speaking mentor as well.

Rabbi Dr Nachshon Siritsky, MA, MSSW, RSW, BCC, PP (he/they) is ordained through Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and is also a board certified interfaith chaplain with Neshamah Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC). He served with the American Red Cross after September 11th, providing spiritual counseling in English and Spanish at the Family Assistance Center, Ground Zero and the New York City Morgue.

In addition to being the first transgender Reform rabbi in Canada, Rabbi Dr. Siritsky is one of co-founders of the Queer Interfaith Coalition. He serves as the spiritual leader of The Chavurah Collective: Decolonizing Judaism in Mi’kma’ki and Beyond which includes a number of smaller hybrid post-denominational chavurot (spiritual communities) of diverse denominational approaches as well as Reform Judaism in Atlantic Canada and Kol Israel Community of Kentucky which is affiliated with ALEPH – the Alliance for Jewish Renewal.

Rabbi Dr. Siritsky’s doctoral research in Ministry and Pastoral Counseling was focused on burnout amongst health care workers, and his post-graduate studies included coursework at both HUC-JIR and the Post-Graduate Center for Mental Health in New York City. He is a second generation-Holocaust survivor, who is also social worker, psychotherapist, Reiki practioner and trained mediator. With extensive experience in palliative care and hospice, as well as healthcare leadership and community advocacy, he is an avid teacher, writer and aspiring vegan chef.

he/him - Humanistic

I became a Humanist rabbi, because I feel a deep investment in making Jewish texts and traditions meaningful to people through the lens of their own life experiences. Before I was a rabbi, I was a Jewish Studies academic, but I became deeply frustrated at the “ivory tower” approach to knowledge and the time spent writing books and articles that interested only a handful of people. I wanted to connect more meaningfully to people and to the communities to which I belonged.

My favorite activity in the world is to craft personalized ritual. One of the most poignant interactions I’ve had in my life is when a person I did not know contacted me to ask whether a Humanistic Shabbat blessing for children existed. I told him that I did not know, but I would be happy to compose a personalized blessing for his baby girl. Three years later, the same person contacted me again to say my blessing had become a meaningful part of their Shabbat observance and ask me whether I would compose a blessing for their second daughter. I stared at my computer screen overcome with tears of joy — I had just been paid the greatest compliment of my life.

I will perform conversions in almost any circumstance, as long as the desire to connect with Jewish culture is genuine and deep.