Along College Hill Road Hamilton students might have noticed a new friendly face sitting outside of Azel Backus House which is none other than the new Rabbi Ethan Bair. Formerly, Bair was in charge of social justice engagement at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach: the largest congregation in Miami with 1,200 families as members. According to Bair, the most important legacy from his time at Beth Sholom is his creation of the justice league fellowship which is a program for high school juniors and seniors that explores the link between Judaism and social justice. Although new to the Hill, Bair has experience as a college Rabbi, previously working at the University of Southern California.
Bair came to Hamilton with his wife, Dr. Nadya Bair. Dr. Bair is a professor of art history, specializing in the history of photography, mass media and global visual culture. Bair remarked that since, “the emblem of the school is the steeple of a historic church” he was unsure of what to expect when he arrived on campus, but he “felt lucky that the school had identified the need for a Rabbi” and was eager to create a meaningful difference at Hamilton. For Bair being a Rabbi means being a resource for students one-on-one and being dedicated to building a community among Jewish students.
Aside from his responsibilities to students and Hamilton’s Jewish community, Bair is still envisioning what his presence means for the broader campus community. He described ongoing conversations with College Chaplain Jeff Mcarn about how to shape Hamilton’s spiritual community.
Bair said, “I’m still figuring out what it means to have a rabbi on campus. It’s been a chaplaincy model with one Christian chaplain and very part time other religious leaders who all have obligations elsewhere. So having a Rabbi who’s part of an integrated chaplaincy team is new for the college.”
Bair will also serve as Director of Hamilton’s Hillel. Previously a student-run organization, this marks a change in the college’s commitment to the group. With a formal director, Hamilton’s chapter will now have easier access to the resources of the broader organization. Furthermore, a new initiative at Hamilton’s Hillel, the Jewish Learning Fellowship, aims to connect students through both community and understanding of the Torah.
“The Jewish Learning Fellowship is about creating a container for students to explore the enduring questions of their lives. The curriculum is called ‘Life’s big questions, which range from ‘why learn?’, and ‘how big is your story?’ to ‘what is true, deep friendship?’, creating conversations centered around Torah texts” said Bair.
To build that community, Bair described his vision as one of working with Jewish students but also with various multi-faith and intercultural groups on campus. He specifically mentioned the All Beliefs Union as a place that fosters spiritual community.
“I want to be working on integrating learning outside the classroom and helping students with identity formation and how they are tapping into our communities,” said Bair.
Given his past employment and beliefs, social justice will play an important role in the vision Bair has for his future at Hamilton.
“I’m working on creating a class for next semester in the religious studies department about Judaism and social justice. It would be a great opportunity to engage different groups of students in an experiential way,” said Bair.
Bair’s beliefs and a clear dedication to the Hamilton community make him a great new edition to the Hill who will facilitate a meaningful dialogue between not just Jewish students, but all of Hamilton.
