Elisheva “Elli” Pripas, a rabbinic student from Hebrew College, joins Temple Emanu-El of Haverhill as rabbinic intern beginning Aug. 1.
Pripas will be assisting Cantor Vera Broekhuysen, spiritual leader of Temple Emanu-El, with High Holy Day and selected Shabbat services and working with the religious school students and faculty.
“Elli Pripas is a warm and wonderful service leader and a seasoned educator, as well as a lovely singer,” said Broekhuysen. Scott Hannula, chair of the search committee, added he is “grateful for the opportunity to have such an enthusiastic and energetic rabbinic intern involved in our congregation’s lifelong learning activities.”
Pripas is entering her third of six years of rabbinical school at Hebrew College, where she is also pursuing a Master of Jewish Education. She has worked for two years in Hebrew schools in the Boston area. As a singer, she previously was an ensemble member for Friday night services with her congregation in Minneapolis. She also was involved in Jewish social justice organizing as a member of Jewish Community Action’s Leadership Team for their Decriminalizing Communities work.
She completed her undergraduate degree in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Macalester College in 2015, as well as a graduate degree in educational leadership from Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2019. Pripas served for three years as an AmeriCorps member, working with educational and nonprofit organizations in Minneapolis-St. Paul. She also has been an advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence for five years.