or Rabbi Amy Bolton, her May 2000 ordination was the
culmination of a lifetime of garnering knowledge and
experience in a multitude of areas.
Graduating with a master of arts degree in rabbinic studies and
rabbinic ordination from the Conservative Ziegler School of
Rabbinic Studies of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, she
moved to West Bloomfield this summer with her husband Rabbi
Scott Bolton, director of community learning at Hillel Day School
of Metropolitan Detroit, and their 7-month-old daughter
Shulamit Davida.
"I grew up in a seriously observant Reform Jewish home,"
Rabbi Bolton says of her Chicago days, where she attended
Temple Sholom. "My parents were very committed to Jewish cul-
ture and Jewish learning."
After two summers spent at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute
camp in Wisconsin, she held synagogue and regional board posi-
tions in the North American Federation of Temple Youth. "By age
15. I knew that I wanted to be a rabbi,' she says. "I felt I really
Rabbi Amy Bolton leads Eilu v' Eilu's Kedushat HaHodesh minyan post-service study session.
wanted to give back and teach and share some of the fulfillment I
Was be inning to find."
At Haverford College in Pennsylvania, she studied neuro-psy-
chology, gaining insight into human nature from a scientific and
monthly study groups and preparation for bat
moment of silence and a Rosh Chodesh
psychological perspective.
mitzvah and for those seeking to expand their
prayer.
"They are really two sides of the same coin," Rabbi Bolton says.
Jewish education.
Offering options, the women share what
"Human
nature and healing people work in conjunction with one
The book is available at Barnes & Noble
has worked best for them, including taking
another.
I
decided to devote my life to the Jewish and spirinial end
Booksellers, Border's Books & Music,
turns hosting and creating themes for each
of
healing."
Amazon.com and elsewhere. For information,
meeting. They offer descriptions of how each
While in college, she was involved in Hillel: The Foundation
call (800) 962-4544, or access the publishers'
created a Jewish autobiography, tell about their
fOr
jewish Campus Life and spent a semester studying at Hebrew
\X/reb site wvvvv.jewisidights.com
divorce ritual in a hot tub surrounded by can-
Unix
ersitv in Jerusalem. She then worked for two years as a
• Inspired by their own Rosh Chodesh
dles and outline celebrations of holidays that
research
assistant at an Alzheimer's center in Chicago.
group, B'not Ruach (Daughters of the Spirit),
include a Rosh HaShana sunrise picnic and
Her
first
year of rabbinical school proved to be life-altering in
in the greater Boston area, three of the mem-
women's Passover seder.
both
a
religious
and personal way While attending the Hebrew
bers have prepared a handbook based on their
The book includes lists of resource publica-
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem, she says,
experiences.
tions, music, films, as well as a glossary of
"I became more interested in attending a more traditional semi-
A Rosh Chodesh Handbook: Joining Lilith
terms. For information, write: White Pine
nary. l got a fantastic basis of learning from there. I really took the
and Eve by Carole Burns, Ellen Cohn and
Cone Press, 21 Palmer, Arlington, Mass.
wings
that they gave me and flew in the direction of the Ziegler
Doris Wachsler (White Pine Cone Press, $15)
02474, or visit the Web Site: www.rosh-
school. -
offers ways to set up a Rosh Chodesh group
chodesh.com LI
At HUC-JIR, she met classmate and future husband Rabbi
— from membership and setting, to exercises
— Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Scott Bolton. Together, they chose to make the change to the U of
and rituals. Describing their own meetings, the
J in California.
authors review the use of a special candle, a
in addition to leading the Eilu Eilu minyan program, now
renamed Kedushat HaHodesh, Rabbi Bolton is doing hospice
chaplaincy work for the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network in Southfield. She is also teaching in the Judaic
• Iyar: April 29, 2001 (6 Iyar)
i ollovving are tentative dates for upcom-
Early Education Enrichment Project, a continuing educa-
• Sivan: May 27, 2001 (5 Sivan)
ing Kedushat HaHodesh; all take place
tion program for preschool teachers at religious schools. The
• Tamuz: June 24, 2001 (3 Tamuz)
on Sundays at 10 a.m. Only in the
sponsor
is the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
• Av: July 22, 2001 (2 Av)
Hebrew months of Nisan and Elul does the
Alliance
for Jewish Education in Bloomfield Township.
• Elul: Aug. 19, 2001 (Rosh Chodesh, 1 Elul)
mmyan coincide exactly with Rosh Chodesh:
In the fiiture, the rabbi says she would like to become
Kedushat HaHodesh takes place at
• Tishrei: Oct 8, 2000 (9 Tishrei)
involved in working with addiction-recovery programs. She
Congregation Shaarey Zedek B'nai Israel, 4200
' • Heshvan: Oct. 29, 2000 (30 Tishrei)
acquired such training at Gateways Beit TeShuva, a long-
Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield. There is
• Kislev: Dec. 3, 2000 (6 Kislev)
term recovery center in L.A., while still in rabbinical school.
no charge for the program; reservations are
• Tever. Dec. 31, 2000 (5 Tevet)
Rabbi Bolton says she is excited that her work enables
encouraged but not necessary.
'Shevat: Jan. 28. 2001 (4 Shevat)
her
to
"meet a variety of members of the Jewish community
To confirm minyan dates or for information
C Adar: Feb. 25, 2001 (2 Mar)
and
stilt
follow my first loves: teaching Torah and spending
on Eilu v' Eilu, contact Michelle Black, (248)
• Nisan: March 25, 2001 (Rosh Chodesh,
time with my daughter." Li
593-3490, or e-mail eilulearn@aol.com
1 Nisan)
— Shelli Liebman Dorfinan

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