About

Rabbi Kelly Whitehead (she/they) is the Assistant Director of Engagement and Learning at the Union for Reform Judaism. She was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion ('24) in New York, where she received her MA in Hebrew Literature and her M.A. in Jewish Nonprofit Management. Rabbi Whitehead is the founder and creator of the NFTY's Teen Jews of Color Fellowship.

 

During her time at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Whitehead served as a Chaplain Intern at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, CA, the Tisch Summer Rabbinic Intern at Temple Micah in Washington D.C. and as the Youth Director and Rabbinic Intern at Temple Sinai in Summit, NJ. Prior to Rabbinic School, Rabbi Whitehead worked in a shared position as the Youth Engagement Specialist at Temple Sinai in Washington D.C. and as the Counselor-in-Training Supervisor at URJ Camp Harlam.  

 

Rabbi Whitehead serves on the board of T'ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights and on the advisory board for JOIN for Justice's Jew of Color Organizing Fellowship. She is a Tisch Fellow at HUC-JIR NY and was selected as one of The NY Jewish Week's 36 under 36 for 2021.

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Rabbi Whitehead lives in Washington, D.C. enjoys practicing hot yoga, drinking iced coffee, and finding the best bagel and shmear!