Q&A With Frankie Salzman

Following a short absence during the summer, Student Rabbi Frankie Salzman is back at Kol Ami this week and will lead their first Shabbat Service this Friday (September 1, 2023). We met with Frankie for a short Q&A about what they did this summer, what their hopes are for this year, and their two cents on Stand Strong, our High Holy Days theme.

 

 

A: I’ve missed this community as well! This summer, I was completing one of my requirements for ordination of Clinical Pastoral Education in my hometown of Indianapolis, IN. I worked as a chaplain at a trauma one hospital, providing spiritual care to a wide-variety of patients. I had the privilege of being with patients and families during some of the difficult times in their and their loved one’s lives, offering a calming presence and an empathetic ear.  It was an incredible experience and I would love to chat about it more with anyone who is interested! 

 

 

A: Above all, I am most excited about being able to learn, grow, and pray with this community for another year. In all my time in Rabbinical school, I have yet to be with the same congregation at the start of the school year. It is such a blessing to already have an established relationship with Kol Ami to build upon. Specifically, I look forward to taking on a deeper leadership role in many of the projects I was engaged in last year: the Open Yad Project, Adult Education, and Shabbat Services to name a few. I also am excited for all that is to come for which I cannot currently predict. 

 

 

A: To me, "Stand Strong" means staying united and committed to our community. It means coming together, supporting each other, and facing the challenges ahead with resilience and determination. We all going to have to engage in some challenging conversations. This will take strength. Strength in ourselves to engage and listen to each other, and strength in our faith in each other that, at our core, we want to create a vibrant, dynamic, inclusive and safe place for Queer Jews, Jews of Color, and all Jews a Reform community to thrive in for another 30 years to come. Whether it's through active involvement, financial support, or simply showing up, we must demonstrate that our bond to each other as members of Kol Ami is unbreakable.