Favorite Books ...
Weave of Women by Esther Broner ~ He, She, It by Marge Piercy ~ Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley ~ Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk ~ Miriam's Well by P'nina Adelman ~ Women who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes ~ Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins ~ Midnight on the Avenue of Faith by Gina Nahai
Favorite Music ...
Ferron, Rory Block, Lebana, Joni Mitchell, Mahalia Jackson, Shefa Gold, Hanna Tiferet Siegel, Judah Prince/Judah Tent Meeting
About Rabbi Rayzel
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael brings a rich background in spirituality and ritual, feminism, and music to Judaism.
Judaica/Academics
- Rabbinical Ordination, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, 1997.
- Awarded Wexner Graduate Fellowship to attend Rabbinical School 1989-93
- Awarded a scholarship in the Melton Senior Educator's Program at Hebrew University of Jerusalem 1988-89
- Attended the Pardes Yeshiva in Israel from 1984-1985.
- Graduated from Brandeis University with a Masters in Contemporary Jewish Studies.
- Attended Indiana University as a religion major with a Jewish studies concentration.
Work in the Jewish community
- Rabbinic Director, Interfaith Family Support Network JFCS, Philadelphia.
- Rabbinic Director, Jewish Creativity Project of New Legends and JOI.
- Former Director of Graduate Student Project at Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Former Director of the Jewish Student Federation of York University in Toronto. 1977-1988.
Music
Rabbi Raphael is a singer/ songwriter of over 60 new Jewish songs/prayers, including liturgy, whose themes include women of the Bible. With Rabbi Margot Stein and Juliet Irene Spitzer, she performs in a group called MiRaJ.
Spirituality and Jewish Rituals
Rabbi Raphael lectures on topics such as angels, Women of the Wall, Jewish magic, Jewish music, women in the bible, Rosh Hodesh, Shechinah. She is also a ritual consultant for life cycle moments such as weddings, baby namings, and other sacred time.
Contact Info
You can contact her by by calling
215-782-1221 or sending email to
Personal Information and Interests
Rabbi Raphael is also mother of Yigdal and Hallel, and partner of Dr. Simcha Raphael, a psychotherapist who works at Mt. Airy Counseling Center, Adjunct Professor of Religion at LaSalle University, and a Spiritual Director at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He is ordained as a Rabbinic Pastor, and is author of Jewish Views of the Afterlife.
Rabbi Simcha Raphael's site
Visit Dr. Raphael's site and view Rituals Rabbi Rayzel has co-written with him.
Order the new MIRAJ CD, Healing Chants for the Soul
Order Rabbi Rayzel's new solo CD, Friday Night Revived!
Get a custom, hand-made silk tallit designed just for you.