Ten years ago Steve Burnstein’s son died when he was just six months old of a genetic disorder. The “crisis of faith” he suffered during that time led him on a course of study that included, among other things, liturgy (prayer). It also led him to rabbinical school, where he was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia June 12.
When he started studying, it was simply to study. The 46-year-old Kansas City native, the son of David and Rosalyn Burnstein, decided to become a rabbi when a friend encouraged him to pursue ordination.
He was drawn to the Reconstructionist movement through its prayer book.
“I fell in love with their approach to prayer and liturgy. When I met the people at the college, I realized it was the type of community that would be a pleasure to learn with and study with,” Rabbi Burnstein said.
He doesn’t expect any drastic changes in his life now that he’s a rabbi. He will continue to serve as the director of IsraelExperts’ Center for Israel and Diaspora Education. IsraelExperts is an Israel education and travel organization that works with major organizations around the world, including Birthright Israel, in the field of Israel-Diaspora relations and Israel education.
Rabbi Burnstein said his rabbinical degree will make a difference to some he works with.
“In the North American Jewish community there is a certain amount of respect for the title, although that certainly wasn’t the goal of getting it. But in my work it’s certainly the reality,” he said.
“The journey wasn’t about the title or the degree, it was about the learning.”
It took him nine and a half years to finish his journey, which Rabbi Burnstein jokes is a record for the RRC. He decided to apply to rabbinic school at the same time he and his wife Varda began the process of adopting their son Micah, who is now 10. With the timing of the adoption, he couldn’t begin school at the start of the academic year. Instead the three Burnsteins spent the spring semester in Philadelphia.
“Then we went back to Israel for what was just supposed to be the summer. While we were there the social worker we had worked with for Micah’s adoption called us and said she had another baby for us if we were interested. That process took a year,” he said. Daughter Gabi is now almost 9. Both children are of Ethiopian descent.
When he decided to continue his studies they were interrupted once again, this time with his own health issues. He had a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery.
He continued to take classes “here and there,” and then the opportunity at IsraelExperts presented itself.
“It is my dream job. I get to share my passion for Israel with people and I get to work in Israel-Diaspora relations and try to bring our communities closer together and build bridges and somebody pays me to do it,” he said.
Finally, it got to the point that to finish his degree he had to come to Philadelphia for that final semester.
“Starting rabbinic school was my crazy idea. I really would not have finished it without Varda pushing me,” he noted. “She’s an absolute saint.”
Rabbi Burnstein grew up in the Conservative movement as a member of Congregation Beth Shalom. He was very active in USY, serving as the local president as well as taking an active regional role in the youth organization. He earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
“One of the most important things I learned at JTS was that philosophically, ideologically and theologically, the Conservative movement is not for me. I grew up in the movement not really understanding with any depth the meaning of the approach to Judaism,” he said.
With three degrees in tow, he began working at Congregation Beth Torah as its religious school director. He stayed six years, and while he was there he earned the Reform Jewish Educator certification.
When he left Beth Torah he worked in corporate America for a few years developing seminars.
“I learned a little bit about a lot of things, but I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. But I wasn’t sure how I wanted to get back involved in the Jewish world,” Rabbi Burnstein said.
So he took a leave of absence from his job, took a group of kids to Israel, and stayed on his own for two months.
“While I was there in 1995, I got involved with Pinat Shorashim and Kibbutz Gezer. Then I went home, closed up shop and a little over a year later made aliyah in 1997,” he said.
He met his Varda, who is originally from the Philadelphia area and made aliyah right after high school, on the baseball field at Gezer.
“She comes from a very connected Zionist family. Her dad was a crew member on the Exodus,” he said.
The Burnsteins live at Kibbutz Gezer and he has never regretted his decision to move to Israel.
“My mother-in-law says you make aliyah every day, which is very true. There’s this love-hate relationship. I love where I live. I love being in the center of the Jewish world. Living in America, when I would get upset with politics or anything else I would say ‘this is horrible.’ In Israel, you say ‘why do I live here? How can I live in a place like this?’ But we’re all trying to make a difference and make it a better place.”