CINCINNATI, May 21 (UPI) -- A convert to Judaism who was raised as a Pentecostal Christian is about to become the first black woman rabbi in the United States, Jewish educators say.
Alysa Stanton, 45, told CNN she is looking forward to her new job as rabbi at Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, N.C. She is to begin work there in August after her ordination June 6 in Cincinnati.
Bayt Shalom is unusual because it is affiliated with both Reform and Conservative Jewish traditions.
"My goals as a rabbi are to break down barriers, build bridges and provide hope," Stanton said. "I look forward to being the spiritual leader of an inclusive sacred community that welcomes and engages all."
Stanton grew up in Cleveland and converted to Judaism as a college student in Colorado. She has also studied in England.
She trained as a rabbi at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, studying at the campuses in Jerusalem and Cincinnati. The college says Stanton's accomplishment is a first in the United States.
Stanton first became interested in Judaism as a child -- she says she was a "seeker."
"People have asked me, 'was I born Jewish?' I said yes, but not to a Jewish womb," she said.
