Rabbi Nancy Myers Celebrates 20 Years at Beth David

Rabbi Nancy Myers Celebrates 20 Years at Beth David

Mulu Skinner-Harrison

Some say that it’s the synagogue’s board of trustees that chooses the Rabbi, but sometimes it’s the Rabbi’s choice of the synagogue that creates the bigger difference. This is the case with Rabbi Nancy Myers and Beth David of Westminster. I had the honor of interviewing Rabbi Myers on her 20th Anniversary of being the Rabbi at Beth David this past week. It was not only interesting but also enlightening.

Rabbi Myers was a rabbi in the Midwest at a large synagogue in the suburbs of Chicago for seven years before coming to California in the Winter of 2004. She told me she was impressed by the interview process, that was a day long, from her new prospective congregation. She liked the people at Beth David and appreciated how the community worked together.

Being the first female rabbi in all her pulpit positions, I asked her what some of the challenges were of being a working mom in a male dominated profession. Rabbi Myers quickly stated, “Times have changed for rabbis, regardless of gender. I have seen how my colleagues value time with their children and strive for a healthy work life balance.” She recognizes that the balance of work and family can be difficult for any profession. With a smile, she said, “I was lucky to have a good role model of a working parent. My father, Jim Myers, was and still is, a hard-working attorney. However, when he came home at night and on the weekends, he was always very involved in our lives.”

She explained that when her children were younger, she made it a point to be home as often as possible. Rabbi stated, “My work here at [Beth David] is a high priority, but also being there for my children is a high priority too.” I think we all feel that way sometimes as busy parents.

In a twenty-year tenure, we often see anniversaries by the years that stood out, or the numbers of services completed. When I asked Rabbi Myers about the years that stood out to her at Beth David she said, “The first couple of years during transitioning between Rabbis, change is still change, but the congregation and I grew together.”

She gives credit to her mentors starting with her own rabbi, Joseph Herzog.

“I was always very close to him as a child and as a teenager, he encouraged me to consider the rabbinate.” In college, Professor Dillon helped her understand philosophy on a deeper level, and in rabbinical school Dr. Martin Cohen was her thesis advisor.

Regarding how many services or life cycle events she has officiated at, her answer was “I really didn’t keep track, because the last synagogue where I worked had over ninety Bar and Bat Mitzvot a year.” Rabbi Myers told me she’s still in awe with every life cycle event; from a baby naming to an end-of-life service. Rabbi Myers stated, “They are all beautiful affirmation of life and L' Dor Va Dor, from generation to generation.”

However, she does appreciate sharing the bimah with Cantor Nancy Linder.

“Nancy and I have developed an excellent partnership, working through services along with mutual respect and trust. I admire her musical talent, spirituality, caring and intelligence that create an ideal partnership.”

I asked Rabbi Myers, “What are some of the new challenges that Rabbis are facing now?”

She related it can be anywhere from economics to modern technology. Rabbi Myers said, “During the 2007 recession I had to learn how to fundraise, which still comes in handy. But the major change is working with technology which we didn’t have twenty years ago. Today we, livestream our services, offer Zoom meetings, and use social media to connect with a wider community. Also, like all other Jewish institutions, we’ve become more diligent about physical and cyber security concerns that effect our synagogue and way of life.”

Looking ahead, I asked Rabbi Myers, “What do you see for the future of Beth David?” She brightly responded about innovations and renovations that would lead to the growth of our synagogue and herself. Rabbi Myers said, “The idea of striving for excellence to be the best you can be. Our campus remodels will give us greater opportunities for events, as we grow our preschool and our Jewish School. I see more programming for youth, young adults, middle agers, and seniors. I feel like we all keep getting better with time.”