Gigs: Programs & Projects

Rabbi Jill Zimmerman is a rabbi, teacher and officiant of lifecycle events. She is also the founder of the Jewish Mindfulness Network teaching mindfulness and meditation through a Jewish lens.

Rabbi Jill left the congregational rabbinate in order to devote her work to teaching Jewish spirituality and mindfulness. She is dedicated to both meaningful study and building community. She teaches classes in discovering the spiritual depth of Judaism both online and in person. In addition, she leads meditations and Shabbatons, and officiates at Jewish life cycle events such as weddings, funerals, baby namings. All of this is done with a openness to helping people discover their own connections to Jewish tradition that is accessible and meaningful.

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Jill is originally from Skokie, Illinois. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, she was an organizational development consultant. She and her husband Ely were active lay leaders in their synagogue in Washington State where they lived with their two sons Josh and Ben. Read more About Rabbi Jill here.

Education, Certifications, Honors & Awards

Rabbi Jill Zimmerman was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 2009. She received a Masters of Education in 1980. Rabbi Jill was a rabbi at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, and served congregations in

Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion
Masters of Hebrew Letters (2007) and rabbinic ordination (2009)

The Myrtle Lorch Pfaelzer-Monroe Award
Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion
May 2009, This award is given to an outstanding female student in the School of Rabbinic Studies.

Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training
Institute for Jewish Spirituality

The Clergy Leadership Program
Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Rabbi, Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills
2009-2011 and 2007-2009 (Rabbinic Intern)

Other congregations served
Temple Beth El in Riverside, Eitz Rimon in Carlsbad, Mammoth Lakes, CA.

Volunteer of the year, Presidents Council of Jewish Women’s Organizations
Seattle, WA January 2000

Worship Committee Award for Outstanding Contributions
Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue WA May 2000

University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Masters of Education May 1979

Published Articles, Writings & Meditations

JEWISH JOURNAL: Fall, 2017

Breathe In, Breathe Out: A Meditation With the Trees
RAVBLOG: February, 2017

Trump Video Should Be A Call to Action
JEWISH JOURNAL: October 19, 2016

I got hate mail: Anti-Semitism on Twitter
JEWISH JOURNAL: September, 2016

Prayers Alone Are Not Enough
Not by Might: Channeling the Power of Faith to End Gun Violence
June 2016, edited by Menachem Creditor and Elaine Soffer

Judge with Generosity: Become a Melody
MEDIUM: August, 2016

Mindfulness Practice for When Things Fall Apart
MEDIUM: August, 2016

Read all Rabbi Jill’s Medium articles here.

Hebrew in Harmony curriculum
2016, Mindfulness in Prayer module created by Rabbi Jill

Journey of the Soul: Making the Omer Count
A series of 49 meditations for counting the Omer.
2014-2015, with Rabbi Cindy Enger.

Real Change in the Torah: Parshat Masei, Numbers 33:1-36:13
Co-authored with Rabbi Lisa Edwards in:
The Torah: A Women’s Commentary
2008, New York: URJ Press and Women of Reform Judaism

“Returning Home: Teshuvah” meditation
Available on the Insight Timer app for IOS and Android.

“Jewish Meditation: Light From Darkness” meditation
Available on the Insight Timer app for IOS and Android.

Parsha Posters #49
Ki Tetze “Mercy’s For the Birds”

Interviews and Audio/Video Appearances

Finding Light Amid Darkness
Interviewed by Dr. Elana Stztokman of A Jewish Feminist
December, 2017

Really Interesting Jews Podcast #18
Really Interesting Jews: Jill Zimmerman – A Network of Jewish Mindfulness

Taking the Jew out of “Bu:” Is Meditation Jewish?
Panel discussion at Metivta A Center for Contemplative Judaism
April, 2015

Tu B’Shevat: A Meditation with the Trees
Harmony in Unison Teaching (you must be a member of the Facebook group to view the video – ask to “join” and you will be approved)
February, 2017

Scholar-in-Residence & Teaching

Jewish Spirituality
Leo Baeck Temple
2012- ongoing

Camp Kesher Scholar, 2014

Walking the Jewish Spiritual Path
Temple Beth Hillel
2015, Valley Village, CA

Stillness in Summer: A Meditative Musical Morning
2015, with Ariel Root Wolpe, Los Angeles, CA

Judaism You Can Use: Five Mindfulness Practices To Cultivate Wholeness In A Fractured World
Jewish Wisdom & Wellness Conference
2015, Los Angeles, CA

Bracketing our Days, Pausing for Shabbat Shabbaton
Temple Beth Hillel
2014, Ventura, CA

Ruach Nashim Shabbat Morning Meditation
Ruach Nashim Women’s Spirituality Weekend
2014, Camp Ramah, CA

Spavuot: Blessing What Is
Health and wellness retreat with Jared Stein
May, 2012

Ushering in Elul: A Shabbat Morning
2015, Los Angeles, CA

Judaism You Can Use: Bracketing Our Days
Kalsman Institute, Jewish Wisdom & Wellness
2013, Los Angeles, CA

Celebrating the Return of Light in Our Lives Retreat
with Rabbis Rachel Cowan, Marion Lev Cohen, Lisa Goldstein & Sylvia Boorstein
2011, Los Angeles, CA

A Mindful Journey Through Shabbat All-Day Retreat
with Rabbis Sheila Peltz Weinberg, Myriam Klotz & Wendy Spears
2014, Los Angeles

Yoga, Music & Prayer with Zach Lodmer & Cantor Lizzie Weiss
Academy of Jewish Religion Retreat
2014, Los Angeles

Jewish Meditation: A Four Week Course
Temple Beth Am Sisterhood
2013, Los Angeles

Celebrating the Light Shabbat Mindfulness Morning with Cantor Ken Cohen
2013, Los Angeles

Waking Up & Going to Sleep Jewishly
Leo Baeck Temple Sisterhood Retreat
2013-2015, Los Angeles

Life Lessons From the Garden; WomanSpirit Center
2000, Issaquah WA

High Holidays
Temple Sinai, Los Angeles
Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles
Leo Baeck Temple, Los Angeles
Mammoth Lakes, CA,
Carlsbad, CA
Riverside, CA