Steven Philp
sphilp@pasyn.org 212-369-2600, x200“Judaism emerges from a place of empathy: we understand the soul of the stranger having been strangers ourselves. Each of us has a piece of ourselves that feels like it does not belong; yet it is from this sense of otherness that we are able to recognize and relate to those who are pushed to the margins of society, bearing witness to the fact that all people are created b’tzelem Elohim, in the divine image.”
– Rabbinic Fellow Steven Philp
Rabbi Steven Philp joined Park Avenue Synagogue as Rabbinic Fellow in July 2019, after being ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was a recipient of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship.
Rabbi Philp earned an MSt in Jewish Studies from the University of Oxford in 2016; his research looked at the intersection of trauma, memory, and ritual through kinnot (elegies) written after the Holocaust. In 2014, Rabbi Philp received his MDiv and MSW from the University of Chicago. He completed his clinical field education at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago as a sexual violence and support services counselor. Rabbi Philp graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California in 2010, where he received a BFA in Studio Art and a BA with Honors in English (Creative Writing) and International Relations.
Rabbi Philp was the founding rabbinical intern of Mishkan Chicago, a member of the Jewish Emergent Network. While a student at JTS, he worked as a rabbinical intern for the University of Maryland Hillel and for Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the LGBTQ synagogue of New York City.
Rabbi Philp grew up in California and Hawaii, as a Roman Catholic with a strong Methodist heritage. He became passionate about interfaith work while in college, a path that eventually led him to become part of the Jewish community. Rabbi Philp lives in Manhattan with his partner, Toby, and their cat, Miso.
Classes Taught by Rabbi Philp
Pathways
Rabbi Zuckerman and Rabbi Philp
Tue / Resumes Jan 7, Weekly / 6:30 pm
Location: Zoom
Discuss a reading about contemporary Jewish experience and thought.
If you are interested in signing up for this class, please email Rabbi Zuckerman at nzuckerman@pasyn.org or call 212.369.4900, x121.
Melton Year 2
Rabbi Zuckerman and Rabbi Philp
Thu / Weekly / 9:15 am
Location: Zoom
In Ethics of Jewish Living, students learn how Jewish teachings shed light on contemporary issues such as the environment, interpersonal relationships, end-of-life decisions, and stem-cell research.
Teens: Applied Judaism
Rabbi Witkovsky, Rabbi Philp, Niki Fleishman, and Pauline Zablow
Wed / Weekly / 5:00 pm / Gr 8–9
Location: Zoom
Join your PAS peers for a weekly class on Jewish community. This year (2019-2020) we will be concentrating on World Jewry, exploring Jewish communities around the world and their relationship with Israel, anti-Semitism, and cultural diversity.