Rabbi Mira Rivera (pronouns she/siya/ella) is the first Filipina-American woman to be ordained at The Jewish Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Jewish Studies. Born in Michigan to immigrant parents from the Philippines, she grew up dancing and developed a love for the arts and a discipline for learning.

Deeply rooted in meditation and community organizing, she brings an introspective approach to her practice, while emphasizing relationship-building, collective power, and responsibility. Her experience of being an outsider in Jewish spaces brought her to the first cohort of the Jewish Women of Color (JWOC) Resilience Circle and Bend the Arc’s Selah Cohort 15 for JOCs (“Jews of Color”). 

She is Rabbi-in-Residence nationally with The LUNAR Collective, a Gen-Z founded organization by and for Asian American Jews. In February 2023 she joined the JCC Harlem as their Rabbi-in-Residence with the mission of growing an in-person Shabbat community of learners, daveners, and organizers that is truly welcoming to those who have been on the margins. She mentors young adults in the Jews of Color Initiative Leadership Fellowship as they gain firsthand experience working in the Jewish non-profit sector in New York City.

Rabbi Mira has steadily been working for the upliftment of those on the margins in the New York area since ordination, beginning with chaplaincy at Mount Sinai Hospital and outreach to isolated adults through Dorot. In December 2022, Rabbi Mira received The Rabbinical Excellence Award from Harlem’s District 9. This award acknowledged her steady hand with Harlem Havruta and friends of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, partners in building a sukkah in West Harlem that is open to all every Sukkot since 2017. In May 2023 she was honored with the Rabbinic Human Rights Hero Award by T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights “for ensuring that the gifts, voices, and experiences of Jews of Color are seen, heard, and known by all in the wider Jewish community.” She was named by New York Jewish Week in 2023 as one of “36 to Watch” for contributions in the arts, religion, culture, business, politics, and philanthropy.

From 2018 to 2022, Rabbi Mira served Kehillat Romemu in New York City as Associate Rabbi and Board Certified Chaplain. She was invited to join the clergy team originally as a Jewish Emergent Network Rabbinic Fellow. During the pandemic, she co-created a Community Kitchen, the Morning Minyan, and a revived Social Action Committee. For that work during those difficult times, community members recognized her with the Jade Netanya Ullman Spirit Award. In those same years, she co-dreamed what would become Ammud: The Jews of Color Torah Academy. She taught a weekly Parasha Study in person and then virtually, mentored rabbinical students, and provided spiritual guidance to JOCs and allies around the world.

After co-chairing the Rabbinical Council of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, she continues to advocate with JFREJ and T’ruah in their joint project, Tirdof: New York Jewish Clergy for Justice. With National Council of Jewish Women, she advocates for reproductive justice nationally and through the Rabbis for Repro Advisory Board.

Like many with a dream, a backpack, and a guitar, Mira came to New York after being enthralled by the Martha Graham Dance Company in performance. She danced for the Martha Graham Dance Company and Ensemble under the mentorship of Yuriko Kikuchi of blessed memory and performed under the auspices of Actors’ Equity. As a performing artist and teacher, she reached hundreds of New York City public school children through National Dance Institute and the Irene Diamond Summer Institute. She received a B.F.A. in Film in 1993 through Tisch School of the Arts of New York University and graduated with the Founders Day Award in recognition of consistent and outstanding scholarship. She is one of a few to find their way to service in the rabbinate through dance.

https://mmjccm.org/jcc-stories/rabbi-mira-jcc-harlem-welcome

https://www.weareasianjews.org/team

https://www.facebook.com/HarlemHavruta/

https://truah.org/2023-gala-honorees/

https://truah.org/spotlight-on-rabbi-mira-rivera/

https://www.jta.org/2023/05/16/ny/mira-rivera-58-pathbreaking-rabbi