About Me
Rabbi Marge Wise received Rabbinic ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion (AJR) in Yonkers, New York in May 2021. Prior to her ordination, she was the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, New Jersey. She has taught adult education classes at CAI in conversational Hebrew, Jewish Philosophers and Thinkers, the Book of Proverbs and the Writings of Rabbi Harold Kushner. She is currently teaching a class devoted to Herman Wouk's book, "The Will to Live On: This is Our Heritage". She has written several first-person articles - one such composition - about her late husband, Rabbi Joseph Wise - was featured in the New York Times.
Marge Wise, affectionately self-named the Journey Rabbi, wants to devote a part of her rabbinate to doing Keruv - outreach to those born Jewish - and to those born into another faith - who are on a journey to learn more about Judaism. She is also seeking a position as a pulpit rabbi.
In her spare time, she's writing her book, "Touching Souls" about her life as a Rebbetzin.
Rabbi Wise comes to the pulpit with a robust record of service to the Jewish community. Her passion is to bring people closer to Judaism – to Gd and to Torah – and to share what she finds so very joyful in living a Jewish way of life. Towards that goal, she has taught adult B’nai Mitzvah classes in the Yonkers synagogue that her late husband served as Rabbi of; as well as a smorgasbord of other classes: Beginners’ Hebrew, Judaism 101, Bible, Traditions and Beliefs, Ethics of the Sages, Jewish History, Current Events and more.
Most recently, she has served as a synagogue executive director for synagogues in northern Westchester and in New Jersey. Before that, she honed her entrepreneurial skills as the owner - with her mom, of blessed memory – of the Jewish Quarter, a Judaica and fine arts establishment in White Plains, New York.
Rabbi Marge enrolled in her first class at AJR in the summer of 2008. She loved being in Rabbinical School, but employment knocked on her door and she had to put her lifelong goal on hold a bit longer. Until 2014, to be exact, when she formally applied for admission. She was accepted - - and there was no turning back!
Still working full-time, she took a late afternoon class once a week and evening classes whenever possible. Five years passed of working full-time and attending classes very part-time and…then, it was Covid!!! Making the best use of the unexpected job hiatus, Rabbi Wise decided to accelerate her course work, to write her thesis, to prepare for and to take her comprehensive exams – in short, to be a full-time student. It was the silver lining of the Covid pandemic for her – and sure enough, with Gd’s help, on May 6, 2021, Marge Wise became Rabbi Marge Wise!
So, the truth is – we are all on a Jewish journey – I would love to help you navigate yours. As a rabbi, I feel privileged to be a part of the sacred space in your lives – I hope that I will be worthy of being welcomed into your space.
Marge Wise, affectionately self-named the Journey Rabbi, wants to devote a part of her rabbinate to doing Keruv - outreach to those born Jewish - and to those born into another faith - who are on a journey to learn more about Judaism. She is also seeking a position as a pulpit rabbi.
In her spare time, she's writing her book, "Touching Souls" about her life as a Rebbetzin.
Rabbi Wise comes to the pulpit with a robust record of service to the Jewish community. Her passion is to bring people closer to Judaism – to Gd and to Torah – and to share what she finds so very joyful in living a Jewish way of life. Towards that goal, she has taught adult B’nai Mitzvah classes in the Yonkers synagogue that her late husband served as Rabbi of; as well as a smorgasbord of other classes: Beginners’ Hebrew, Judaism 101, Bible, Traditions and Beliefs, Ethics of the Sages, Jewish History, Current Events and more.
Most recently, she has served as a synagogue executive director for synagogues in northern Westchester and in New Jersey. Before that, she honed her entrepreneurial skills as the owner - with her mom, of blessed memory – of the Jewish Quarter, a Judaica and fine arts establishment in White Plains, New York.
Rabbi Marge enrolled in her first class at AJR in the summer of 2008. She loved being in Rabbinical School, but employment knocked on her door and she had to put her lifelong goal on hold a bit longer. Until 2014, to be exact, when she formally applied for admission. She was accepted - - and there was no turning back!
Still working full-time, she took a late afternoon class once a week and evening classes whenever possible. Five years passed of working full-time and attending classes very part-time and…then, it was Covid!!! Making the best use of the unexpected job hiatus, Rabbi Wise decided to accelerate her course work, to write her thesis, to prepare for and to take her comprehensive exams – in short, to be a full-time student. It was the silver lining of the Covid pandemic for her – and sure enough, with Gd’s help, on May 6, 2021, Marge Wise became Rabbi Marge Wise!
So, the truth is – we are all on a Jewish journey – I would love to help you navigate yours. As a rabbi, I feel privileged to be a part of the sacred space in your lives – I hope that I will be worthy of being welcomed into your space.
