Alumni Cultivating Community: Hebrew College Rabbinical School’s New Director of Student Life

This July, Rabbi Rachel Tali Kaplan `21 will return to Hebrew College — now housed in our new shared campus — as the Rabbinical School’s new Director of Student Life. We sat for an interview to learn more about Rabbi Kaplan’s relationship with our community and her vision for her new role. Keep reading to learn more about Rabbi Kaplan and the distinct blend of compassion, humor, and enthusiasm which will animate her work with rabbinical students.

How did you first encounter Hebrew College, and what led you to apply to the rabbinical school?

My connection to Hebrew College developed gradually, and then quickly. I first heard about Hebrew College through a friend’s brother who applied to (and later graduated from) one of the early rabbinical school cohorts. A few years later, because of my deep love for and connection with the Adamah program at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, of which I am an alumna, I learned that my friend, (now Rabbi) Adina Allen from another Adamah cohort was attending Hebrew College. While attending her ordination in 2014, I not only appreciated hearing from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (who was being honored at the ceremony), but was also completely wowed by Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld’s blessings for each graduate. Plus, I was living with two Hebrew College rabbinical students at the time. To a certain extent, Hebrew College has been ‘in the water’ since I moved to Boston. This vibrant, innovative, Jewish ecosystem called to me.

What did you take with you from your rabbinic education at Hebrew College? How did it shape your relationship with Judaism?

At Hebrew College,I felt invited to integrate all parts of myself – intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. The learning environment was holistic in a way.

It wasn’t about being handed knowledge, but about being invited to wrestle with Torah in the most profound ways. The approach to text wasn’t focused solely on memorization or passive reception, but active engagement. As I describe it, Hebrew College is a place where ‘Torah is real’ – meaning that Torah, in all of her glory, and with all of the complexities, is a living, breathing conversation. The faculty didn’t just teach; they opened doors and provided tools, trusting students to dig, explore, and ultimately create our own unique relationship with Jewish tradition. It was a place that said, ‘We trust you to metabolize this learning and give something back to the world in your own way.’

What excites you about your new role as Director of Student Life?

The job description felt like it was written specifically for me. My background as both a Hebrew College-educated rabbi, and as a soon-to-be board certified chaplain, will inform my approach to supporting students. Part of my job is to function as a non-anxious presence for the students – staying grounded, connecting empathetically, and holding space for wherever students are at any given moment.

I’m deeply committed to the ongoing work of reimagining leadership and transforming traditional models. Inspired by leaders like Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, I want to foster the nuanced, relational approach to leadership that emerges out of the Hebrew College culture. It’s about creating space for students to find their voices, their distinct way of leading, while remaining connected to our rich traditions.

Can you elaborate on your approach to Torah learning and community and the Hebrew College culture?

Torah learning at Hebrew College is about holistic integration. We’re not relying soley on intellect; we pay attention to emotional intelligence and intuition, and braid it all together with Jewish practice and traditional text learning. Hebrew College models learning that says, ‘This isn’t just about what you know, but how you embody and live that knowledge.’ I see myself as a ‘door opener’ or ‘gate opener’, to borrow a phrase from Rabbi Aliza Berger (`17) – creating pathways for students to feel nourished by Torah, empowered to struggle with it, and confident in finding their unique interpretative voices. It’s a radical approach that trusts students’ inherent capacity for deep, meaningful engagement with tradition.

Hebrew College is a community where we can inhabit our entire selves. Beyond your professional role, what personal passions will you bring to this role?

Lately I’m thinking a lot about the intersection between clothing and spiritual care. How does what we wear offer us an opportunity to focus on that which is most personally meaningful and important? I’m also a writer with a love for handwritten letters. I’m VERY slowly learning the ukulele. And I’m an enormous Brené Brown fan – I consider her to be a rebbe of mine! I’m excited for the day that I get to work with her. Just gonna positively put that out there into the interview/universe!