Rabbi Jessica Wainer was ordained from the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in 2016 and previously served as the associate rabbi and director of congregational learning for Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, VA.
She loves to develop creative worship experiences, walk with families through their times of sorrow and joy, and bring Torah to life for people of all ages.
Born and raised in Oak Park, IL, Rabbi Wainer is thrilled to be home to serve the Jewish community of the western suburbs of Chicago.
In addition to her ordination, Rabbi Wainer earned a Master’s degree in Hebrew Letters in 2015 from Hebrew Union College, as well as a Master’s in Education Administration from Xavier University in 2015. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Jewish Studies, with honors, and minored in Hebrew and Psychology from Indiana University – Bloomington.
Rabbi Wainer currently serves as the head of faculty for the Union of Reform Judaism’s Six-Points Creative Arts Academy where she is a founding faculty member. She also previously served on the Central Conference of American Rabbi Taskforce on Women’s Experience in the Rabbinate.
Outside of her work in the Jewish community, Rabbi Wainer enjoys scuba diving, long walks with her dog Tali, playing various musical instruments, and baking challah.
