Rabbi Melissa Crespy
I look forward to welcoming all who walk through SOJC’s doors, whether they seek spiritual joy, a connection to the Jewish people, a compassionate listening ear, intellectual stimulation or all of the above.
Rabbi Melissa Crespy has been a congregational rabbi in the New York City area, in Columbus and Dayton, Ohio, and Foster City, California. She has also served as a Rabbinic Fellow for the Jewish Theological Seminary, as Secretary to the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS) of the Rabbinical Assembly and the USCJ, and as a certified chaplain in several hospital settings. Her passions include teaching Intro to Judaism, Talmud, Medical Ethics, Biblical Women, Zionism and a host of other courses for Adults, and trying to stump Religious School students with “Ask the Rabbi” sessions. She loves watching “lightbulbs” go off in her students’ heads! She has also deeply enjoyed introducing new celebrations of TuBishevat, Shavuot and Simhat Torah in her congregational work, and her work with the interfaith community. During her time with the CJLS, Rabbi Crespy learned some of the intricacies of interpreting Jewish law for the Conservative Movement in our time.
Rabbi Crespy was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), and has also received an honorary doctorate from JTS.
Rabbi Crespy has served on numerous committees of the Rabbinical Assembly including the Membership Committee, the Humash Reading Committee and the Joint Commission on Placement.
Before entering the rabbinate, Rabbi Crespy worked as a credit analyst for Manufacturers Hanover Trust in NYC and earned an MBA in Finance and International Business from New York University.
Rabbi Fraade
Michael Fraade is a fifth-year rabbinical student at Hebrew College, a pluralistic institution in Newton, MA. Born in Connecticut, he was raised in a family that fostered his love of Judaism from an early age. In the past he has worked as a farmer and Jewish outdoor educator in the south; learned Torah at a variety of progressive yeshivas including Hadar, Drisha, and Pardes; and volunteered with nonprofits focused on food justice, reproductive rights, and Jewish communal life. He also completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he currently serves as a part-time chaplain. Michael’s interests include being outside, Talmud, running, shechita (kosher slaughter), cooking, dogs, and ancient Israelite agriculture. He lives in Cambridge, MA with his fiancée, Rabbi Jenn Queen, and their dog Priya.