Around the Globe

Rabbanit Leah Sarna is the Spiritual Leader of Kehillat Sha’arei Orah, a thriving Modern Orthodox synagogue in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, where she provides Torah teaching, halakhic guidance, lifecycle support, and spiritual leadership. She is among only a handful of women worldwide leading Orthodox congregations. She has served on the faculty of the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education and is Director of Public Education for the International Beit Din. She has won prestigious awards like the Covenant Foundation’s Pomegranate Prize and been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and The Jewish Review of Books. Currently she’s working on a book about Torah and halakha relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and the beginning of life and continues to shape Orthodox education and community engagement with warmth and visionary leadership.

Rabba Aliza Libman Baronofsky is a dedicated educator who teaches Jewish text and mathematics at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and spends her summers inspiring students as a teacher and Rabba at Camp Yavneh. Known for her remarkable commitment to learning, she studied all six orders of the Mishna alongside each of her children in preparation for their b’nai mitzvah.

Now, she’s bringing that passion and experience to a wider audience with her new podcast, Mishna Accomplished. Beginning April 19, listeners can join her as she explores two mishnayot per episode, three times a week through Shavuot 5786, starting with tractate Rosh Hashana.

Denise Blumenfeld, a current student, has developed a unique way of using artificial intelligence in her rabbinic studies by customizing ChatGPT into a tool she calls Socrates Havruta (“study partner”). Unlike typical AI use that produces straightforward summaries, her version is designed to ask her questions about Talmudic texts, prompting deeper engagement and learning. She represents a new generation of rabbinical students integrating AI into their education but also thoughtfully setting boundaries around its use, arguing that future teachers must learn how to teach and help others learn to use these tools responsibly rather than as shortcuts. Read more.

Rabbanit Myriam Ackermann-Sommer became the first woman to be ordained as a Modern Orthodox rabbi in France. She co-founded Ayeka, a Paris congregation where she leads prayer, study, and community life with her husband. Beyond synagogue leadership, Rabbanit Myriam has championed women’s advanced Jewish learning. Together with her colleague Tali Fitoussi-Trèves, she launched Kol-Elles, the first kollel-style program in France accessible to women, expanding opportunities for in-depth study of Talmud, halakha, and Jewish thought. She is also an author: her 2025 book Les Nouveaux Moutons de Panurge draws on Jewish tradition to explore contemporary questions of freedom, community, and technology. Her most recent endeavor has been to adapt and translate Tamar Ross’s book Orthodoxy and Feminism: Expanding the Torah Palace for a French audience.

Rabba Anat Sharbat is a deeply empathetic and impactful spiritual leader known as the “Rabba of Hostage Square,” a public plaza in Tel Aviv where Israelis gathered for prayer, comfort, and community following the horrific events of October 7, 2023. She held space for families of hostages, walked with grieving loved ones, and maintained prayer gatherings that transcended political divides. Her presence at Hostage Square helped many find strength, ritual, and communal care during one of Israel’s most challenging periods. Rabba Anat is one of more than 35 students and graduates who live and work in Israel. Our Israel arm, Maharat BaAretz, offers programming and resources to elevate and increase awareness of the Maharat community.

Rabbanit Yaara Wiedman Samuel, currently a Major in the Israel Defense Forces, was among the first women to sit for Israel’s Rabbanut examinations. Her achievement represents both a significant milestone and an opportunity to reconsider what rabbinic leadership and authority can look like in Israel. Rabbanit Yaara serves as the Rosh Hamidrasha Midreshet Ein HaNatziv, where she teaches Talmud, rabbinic literature, and Jewish philosophy.

Rabbanit Nomi Kaltmann’s influence extends far beyond local communities. She founded Jofa Australia, leads initiatives to expand women’s roles in Torah leadership, and builds programs empowering Jewish women in study and leadership. Her writing and commentary appear in major Jewish and secular outlets, and she’s a respected voice on religion, ethics, and community in broader public discourse. In the wake of the 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack, which killed 15 people at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Rabbanit Nomi’s insights on rising antisemitism and community resilience were featured in publications and podcasts throughout the world.