About Rabbi Judith Schindler
Rabbi Judy is an activist, author, professor, rabbi, mother, and wife.
A rabbi means “teacher” and Rabbi Judy seeks to teach the community how to create social change in order to actualize the prophetic values of equality, justice, human dignity, and human rights of the Hebrew Bible
Rabbi Schindler is the Sklut Professor of Jewish Studies and Social Justice Lead and Jewish Scholar-in-Residence of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University of Charlotte (which she helped build as founding Director from 2016 to 2024). She was named Rabbi Emerita of Temple Beth El in Charlotte, North Carolina, after serving as Senior Rabbi from 2003-2016 and as Associate Rabbi from 1998-2003. Prior to coming to Charlotte, she was an Associate Rabbi at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, New York.
Rabbi Judy loves to learn. Beyond receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Tufts University (magna cum laude in 1988); her Master’s from the Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles (1993); her rabbinic ordination at the Hebrew Union College in New York (1995); and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Hebrew Union College (2020), she is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. Her academic focus is pioneering documents of interfaith dialogue.
Rabbi Schindler is immediate past co-chair and founding co-chair of the North Carolina Jewish Clergy Association (established in April 2022). She is a founding leader of the Charlotte Racial Justice Consortium (CRJC) — a partnership between Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales University – Charlotte Campus, Queens University of Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina, Charlotte that trains student in racial equity and leadership skills and seeks to bring racial healing circles to Charlotte. She developed and helps run the Charlotte Black/Jewish Alliance for Black and Jewish young professionals. She is on the Board of WFAE, Charlotte’s public radio station, and in 2025, will chair the Equity and Fairness Committee. She is Chair of the Reform Israel Rabbinic Cabinet of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. And she is a member of Board of Governors of The International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC) which represents, maintains, and develops relations with the Vatican’s Commission on Religious Relations with the Jews, the Orthodox Christian Church, the World Council of Churches, and other international religious bodies.
Among Rabbi Schindler’s past leadership roles, she has served on the Executive Committee of the Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice, on the Board of Restorative Justice CLT and as a member of the Israel + Reform Zionism Committee (formerly ARZA). She is past co-President of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, former Trustee of the Reform Pension Board, served on the Board of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Coalition for Housing, and as co-chair of the Clergy Council of MeckMin (Charlotte’s interfaith organization).
On behalf of Temple Beth El, Rabbi Schindler envisioned and led the creation of four social justice documentaries being utilized across the country. “Souls of Our Students: Appreciating Differences” and “Souls of our Students: A Transgender Focus” address diversity in schools. “Souls of Our Teachers” addresses urban education and “Souls of our Neighbors” explores the value of creating affordable housing. Three of the documentaries earned Telly Awards.
Rabbi Schindler has contributed chapters and articles to more than a dozen journals and books. She co-authored Recharging Judaism: How Civic Engagement is Good for Synagogues, Jews, and America (CCAR Press, 2018) which focuses on recharging congregations through civic engagement and moving the religious community from volunteerism to advocacy. Recharging Judaism was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice. Rabbi Schindler was a consulting editor for Deepening the Dialogue: Jewish-Americans and Israelis Envisioning the Jewish-Democratic State (published in both English and Hebrew) and seeks to move the concept from book to project to strengthen partnerships between progressive Jewish Americans and Israelis. She was a 2017-2018 contributing columnist for the Charlotte Observer and delivered a TEDxCharlotte talk in 2018 entitled “Mastering the Art of Loving your Neighbor.”
Among the many awards she has received, Rabbi Schindler was named Charlotte Woman of the Year in 2011. She received the 2008 Humanitarian Award from the Charlotte Coalition for Social Justice, the 2008 Mecklenburg Ministries Interfaith Clergy Award, was selected as one of Charlotte’s USA 20: Celebrating Dynamic Women in 2010, and was named the 2017 Outstanding Champion of Diversity by the Association of Fundraising Professionals NC Charlotte Chapter. This past International Women’s Day, she was named by Axios Charlotte as one of the 25 impressive women helping to shape Charlotte in 2023.
Judy is married to Chip Wallach, who works for Bank of America. They have two sons who are young adults, Maxwell and Alec. She is the daughter of the late Rabbi Alexander Schindler who was president of the Union for Reform Judaism 1973-1995.
HONORS
2021 Doris Cromartie Democratic Woman of the Year, Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County
Florence Crittenton Services’ (FCS) Lucille Giles Award, 2018
Association of Fundraising Professionals NC Charlotte Chapter Outstanding Champion of Diversity, 2017
General Federation of Women’s Clubs of North Carolina Women of Achievement, 2014
Charlotte Woman of the Year, 2011
Charlotte’s USA 20: Celebrating Dynamic Women, 2010
Charlotte Business Guild Don King Community Service “Bridge Builder” Award, 2008
Mecklenburg Ministries Interfaith Clergy Award, 2008
Charlotte Coalition for Social Justice Humanitarian Award 2008
Charlotte Jewish Woman of Strength. 2004
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Deepening the Dialogue: Jewish-Americans and Israelis Envisioning the Jewish-Democratic State, Edited by Rabbi Stanley Davids and Rabbi John Rosove, Consulting Editors, Rabbi Judith Schindler and Rabbi Noa Sattath (New York: CCAR Press 2020) Published in Hebrew and in English.
Recharging Judaism: How Civic Engagement is Good for Synagogues, Jews, and America by Rabbi Judith Schindler and Judy Seldin-Cohen (New York: CCAR Press, 2018).
A Book of Chai: A Book of Life – A Collection of Rabbi Judith Schindler’s Sermons by Rabbi Judith Schindler (Charlotte, North Carolina: Temple Beth El, 2016).
Articles
“Declarations of Dialogue: Christian, Jewish and Muslim Overtures to the Religious Others,” CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly (Winter 2023).
“Parashat Eikev: Atoning for Our Broken Covenants: Righting America’s Racial Wrongs,” Social Justice Torah Commentary (New York: CCAR Press, 2021).
“#JewishWomenToo: Rape and Sexual Harassment in the Bible,” co-authored with Micah Streiffer, CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly (Winter 2020).
“What Makes a Good Jew? For Many, It’s Tikkun Olam,” co-authored with Judy Seldin-Cohen, Hadassah Magazine (September 2019).
“Why Young Jews are Choosing Social Justice Over Religious Ritual,” co-authored with Judy Seldin-Cohen, Kolot: Living Jewish Values on a Daily Basis, Volume IV, (Phoenix, AZ: Valley Beit Midrash, 2019).
“An Unsung Hero of Black–Jewish Relations: Lessons Learned from Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum in Deepening Understanding and Relationships Across the Divide,” CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly Symposium on Politics and the Rabbinate (Summer 2019).
“Weaving Webs of Sacred Connection: Women Rabbis and Congregational Culture” written with Cantor Mary Thomas in The Sacred Calling: Four Decades of Women in the Rabbinate, edited by Rabbi Rebecca Einstein Schorr and Rabbi Alysa Mendelson Graf (New York: CCAR Press, 2016).
Essay in God, Faith, and Identity in the Ashes: Perspectives of Children and Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors, edited by Menachem Rosensaft (Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Press, 2014).
“On Our Humanity” in Lights in the Forest: Rabbis Respond to Twelve Essential Jewish Questions, edited by Rabbi Paul Citrin, (New York: CCAR Press, 2014).
“The Journey to Judaism: Choosing Judaism, Choosing Mitzvot,” Mishkan Moed: A Guide to the Jewish Seasons (New York: CCAR Press, 2013).
“Be Present,” Text Messages: A Torah Commentary for Teens (Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Press, 2012).
“Ethical Wills,” The American Rabbi (Fall 2010, Volume 2).
“Contemporary Reflection,” The Torah: A Women’s Commentary by Dr. Tamara Eskanazi and Rabbi Andrea Weiss (New York: URJ Press, 2008).
“When One Door of Life Closes, Another One Opens: A Baccalaureate Address,” The American Rabbi (Spring 2006).
“Don’t ‘Show Me The Money’: The Rewards for Mitzvot,” Living Torah (New York: URJ press, 2005).
Essay in Rabbis: The Many Faces of Judaism by George Kalinsky (New York: Universe Publishing, 2002).
Click here to visit the: Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice at Queens University of Charlotte