Rabbi Deborah Megdal

I have been blessed to discover, as we joined together in meaningful prayer, engaging Torah study, and warm conversation, that Beth El is my new home. I am deeply grateful to be welcomed into a community of joyful energy, profound commitment to tradition, and enduring love for each other. I look forward to hearing your stories, to learning with you, and to being with you for the windy, sacred spirals of life’s paths. In this collective moment of healing and recovery after a year of loss and resilience, we are called to engage with more intentionality and care. I pray that we are all empowered to confront spiritual challenges with empathy, forgiveness, and grace.

Biography

Rabbi Deborah Megdal joined the Beth El community as our associate Rabbi in August of 2021. She was ordained at JTS, where she also received her master’s degree in Talmud and Rabbinics, Certificate in Applied Halakhah, and prizes in Talmud and Jewish Law. Rabbi Megdal previously served for three years at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Manhattan, the largest LGBTQ synagogue in the world, most recently in a fellowship specializing in pastoral care and education. She completed a chaplaincy rotation at MJHS Hospice, and served as Rosh Tefillah at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. In her first career, she earned her J.D. at Yale Law School, clerked for a federal judge, and worked in commercial litigation and international arbitration at a Manhattan law firm.