Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder is passionate about making the ancient wisdom of Jewish tradition accessible and meaningful to all regardless of faith and religious education. She takes joy and pride in the variety of Jewish culture and tradition. She has been an educator for over 30 years and has worked in the non-profit world for most of her career. Growing up she experienced very different approach to Judaism. Her family was secular Canadian-Israeli focusing on Jewish culture and history. In contrast, the Jewish focus in the Orthodox Jewish schools she attended was on tradition and religious life. These two approaches set up her commitment to helping others find their distinct Jewish expressions.
Rabbi Ruth got her Ph.D. from Yale University, writing on Jewish cookbooks and domestic life, and her rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College. She is a potter and an avid challah baker who believes life should be filled with creativity and fun. She has traveled the world and has written extensively, teaching and publishing in English, Hebrew, German, and French. Her work has appeared in the Times of Israel, The Forward, The Jewish Journal, The J., MyJewishLearning.com, and The Atlanta Jewish Times. Her work has been covered by the New York Times and in late 2024 she is participating as a rabbi on a reality television show. She has had a variety of fellowships and received many awards for her work including Covenant Foundation Grants, a Jerusalem Fellow, and a Rabbi Without Borders.