About Hayley

Rabbi Hayley Goldstein grew up outside of Minneapolis, MN and received smicha from the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College in Newton, MA. As the Rabbinic Intern at Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue in Jamaica Plain, MA, Hayley led spirited Friday night and Shabbat Morning services, mid-week “Singing Our Way to Shabbos” workshops, and an ongoing beit midrash “Talmud as Spiritual Practice.” As a SVARA-trained Educator, Hayley is honored to have run several batei midrash in both Israel and the U.S. Her favorite teaching moment is when two hevrutot (study buddies) high five one another in support of their learning. The kind of atmosphere Hayley strives to create is warm and welcoming and at the same time rigorous. Hayley has taught in many different environments to all ages—from the basement of a Brooklyn shul to under the stars in the Rocky Mountains. She has served as a chaplain in a full-service hospital and in a rehabilitation center for the elderly. Her passion lies in shaking up people’s preconceived notions of what Judaism is/was/can be/will be. Following Hebrew College, Hayley served as the Rabbi of Base Ithaca for three years, creating radically inclusive Jewish community with over 1500 Cornell students and young adults. A highlight of her time at Cornell were the High Holidays, where she pulled together local musicians from Ithaca to create a warm, accessible, musical service for reform and unaffiliated Jewish students. She is the co-founder and previous author of Nireh Or, an Instagram account where she strived to redefine social media as a place where Torah can and should exist. Hayley’s Rebbes/Teachers include, but are not limited to: Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, the Maiden of Ludmir, Sarah Yehudit Schneider, Rabbi Benay Lappe, and Brene Brown. She currently serves as the Associate Rabbi of the famously heimish shul, Park Slope Jewish Center in Brooklyn, NY. In her spare time, Hayley enjoys cuddling her cat, singing, going for long walks in Prospect Park, studying herbalism and concocting herbal remedies in her kitchen.