RABBI SALEM RACHEL PEARCE
I serve as Director of Organizing at T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. In May I was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Boston, Mass. I have worked as rabbinic intern at Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue, in Jamaica Plain; as rabbinic intern at Synagogue Council of Massachusetts; and as community organizer at Temple Israel.
I trained to be a chaplain at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, and I have participated in the American Jewish World Service’s Global Justice Fellowship for Rabbinical and Graduate Students; in T’ruah’s Summer Fellowship in Human Rights Leadership; and in a rabbinical student fellowship with Rabbis Without Borders.
For seven years in D.C., I raised money for many nonprofits, local and national. I volunteered for and served on the board of the D.C. Rape Crisis Center. I participated in the Jeremiah Fellowship at Jews United for Justice, later volunteering for many of its local campaigns. During the high holidays in 2011, I decided to seriously pursue my dream of becoming a rabbi.
I love grammar, NPR, napping, giving career advice, writing letters, and my nieces and nephews; I hate mayonnaise and kimchi and shopping.
A native Texan, I dearly miss Tex-Mex and my family but not the oppressive humidity of Houston. My feelings about Austin, where I received a degree in Classics from the University of Texas, are more nuanced. I now live in galut (in this case, Brooklyn).
no power in the 'verse 
The further I surf your turf the more I discover what a complex and fascinating person you are. My Joe is a lucky man.
Thanks, Stanley!
Huh; I’m a native Texan too, and I also miss Tex-Mex terribly, as well as my family — though, as you say, not the oppressive humidity. (Or a few other things.) Also you’re an RWB student fellow, kol hakavod! Surely our paths will cross at RWB, if not in Massachusetts sometime. 🙂
I love it! Native Texan rabbi(nical student)s have to stick together. I indeed hope our paths will cross soon!
Interesting – I too am a Pearce (Daniel) – and am finally indulging a long-time interest in Melchizedek and Salem by doing a little research – and am a Houstonian (Kingwood) and STILL enjoy Tex-Mex. And so my research brings me to your writings, which reflect an open, curious mind. We must be related!
Dear Rabbi,
I am looking forward to your Torah Study session at Judea Reform Congregation next Shabbat.
Here is a poem I wrote about HIAS.
Shabbat Shalom,
Ed Levin
Judea Reform Congregation
Durham, NC
Hebrew Help
Immigrants come here because of need,
Aid does help them live, so plant the seed,
Society will grow from our deed,
Making essential payment forward.
Difference appears first to be so odd,
With each rising up from their own sod,
Each praying different ways to God,
Worshiping brings all our hearts onward.
Experience them as we have done,
By moving here, to escape the gun,
Delivering them as we have run,
Goodness will bring us all on upward.