Rabbi Deborah Ruth Bronstein

Rabbi Deborah Ruth Bronstein was ordained from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1989. Her first congregation was in Los Angeles, California, where she worked at Leo Baeck Temple for five years.

In 1994, she became the rabbi of Congregation Har HaShem in Boulder, Colorado. Her years as a rabbi were rich and full in every way. Along with her congregational work, she had the opportunity to support people who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. She also led a group at a drop-in center for people with chronic mental illness, helped South Sudanese refugees (“Lost Girls”) move to Boulder to be sustained by her congregation and others in the community, and served as a board member of the Interfaith Network on Mental Illness (INMI). In her work, she used stories of hope for young and old alike as a means of teaching and inspiring. She thinks of herself primarily as a pastoral rabbi with a strong commitment to social justice.

After twenty years of serving as a rabbi at Har HaShem, the epilepsy that she developed as a teen worsened and limited her ability to work, requiring her to retire. In retirement, she has continued to be involved in the life of her congregation, with members of the South Sudanese community, and to become more and more active in the work of INMI. She now cofacilitates a spiritual support group at her synagogue for people who struggle with mental health challenges, along with their families and friends.

The path to becoming a rabbi for her was very circuitous. Who would choose such a roundabout journey? However, looking back, the truth is that her time in the hospital and other times of emotional struggle opened her heart and soul and made her more available to others. For this, she is very grateful.