Rabbi Amanda Russell

Learn More about Rabbi Amanda Russell

Amanda's greatest passions lie in cultivating interpersonal relationships, guiding people towards discovering their own unique talents and gifts, and using music to create greater accessibility and connection to prayer. She took interest in service leading and studying nussach around the time of her Bat Mitzvah, and has further developed her skills by continuing to study ever since. This was the start of her journey to the rabbinate.

Amanda Russell was born and raised in Philadelphia. She attended the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) where she formed many meaningful personal and professional relationships in the Pittsburgh Jewish community. She served as a student leader and member of The VoKols (Jewish-American a cappella group at Hillel) and Cantorial Soloist at two Pittsburgh congregations. She graduated Pitt with a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Certificate in Jewish Studies in 2011. In 2013, after working full-time in the Pittsburgh Jewish community, Amanda’s Jewish and musical passions lead her to California to begin Rabbinical School. She will be ordained by The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in May 2019.

This is Amanda’s fourth year as the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco, where she participates in service leading and teaching the Miller Intro to Judaism class and in the Religious School. She lives in Sherman Oaks with her husband and daughter, David and Reva Katz.

Rabbi Amanda Russell's CV