Author Archives: Elizabeth Hinds

My first semester of rabbinical school is now complete, so I’ve been using my brand new free time to reflect. I spent a lot of time this semester learning new things, trying different things, and discussing hard things. It turns out the hard things are much more enjoyable to discuss when you get to doContinue reading “Rewriting “Pokeach Ivrim” as a Blind Jew”

American (and other diasporic) Jews have been known to say “my heart is in the east” when yet another tragedy strikes in Israel. In my time embedded in an American Jewish community, I’ve never used the phrase or really understood its meaning until now. Today I should be getting on a plane headed towards BenContinue reading “My Heart Is In The East”

It is with great excitement and pride that I share my acceptance to the Rabbinical Ordination program at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion! The road to “Rabbi” started long ago, and this point in the journey is especially sweet. As I prepare for the next five years of study, reflecting on myContinue reading “It’s Happening – Rabbinical School!”

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and almost a year after my assault, I am finally ready to share what healing has looked like. There will be no who, what, when, where, or why. I am instead choosing to talk about the months of learning to find my voice again, and as a pivotal copingContinue reading “B’tzelem Elohim”

I completed my conversion to Judaism in the Hebrew month of אייר, Iyar. One of my favorite Midrash teachings is that the Hebrew spelling of Iyar- aleph, yod, yod, resh- is an acronym for Ani Adonai Ropheca– I, Adonai, am your healer. There are so many reasons why the end of my conversion was soContinue reading “Speaking Into Existence A Refuah Shleimah”

I shared a room with my twin sister as a kid, and we had bunk beds intermittently throughout our childhood. The first time I tried climbing the ladder up to the top bunk didn’t end well. It ended with a fat lip, a crying kid, and the decision that my sister would sleep on theContinue reading “Parshat Vayetzei- Jacob’s Ladder”

One of the largest reasons why I stopped writing in this space was because I didn’t know exactly how to word perhaps the most important change and part of my life. I didn’t know how to just boldly, clearly state it. In all honesty, I was scared to. I’m still somewhat scared, but my pride,Continue reading “The Subjectivity of “Soon””

A lot can change in seven months, including an online page! Welcome to Humble Chutzpah, a space formerly used to inspect sociology, analyze music, and express spirituality. Don’t worry, those things will still happen, but now there will be greater intention behind it. Let’s work through some of the changes that have happened over theContinue reading “Humble Chutzpah”