Rabbi White grew up in the Kansas City Jewish community, became a Bar Mitzvah and was confirmed at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. He discovered his passion for Judaism and desire to become more observant in 1977 while he was in Israel on a study abroad program. He’s been a traditionally observant Jew for 42 years now.
After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1979 with a degree in journalism, he went back to Israel to continue studying Judaism in a yeshiva. Once there, he quickly realized he was “not cut out to be Orthodox.” That narrowed his options for study, but he found the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS) appealing.
Rabbi White didn’t originally intend to become a rabbi. But after two years of studying in Israel and another three in New York, he said, the smicha (rabbinical ordination) he earned in 1986 “was sort of gravy that came with that.”
Now that he was ordained and starting a life with his wife, Civia, the Yiddish phrase nem de gelt, which means “grab the money,” came to mind. He needed a job and serving as a rabbi seemed perfect for his skills.
“So I decided to put the professional degree to use, and I have to tell you it stood me well,” he said. “I’ve always had work. Thanks to JTS, I’ve never been without a paycheck for 34 years.”
Another bonus to being a rabbi is that it afforded Rabbi White the opportunity to live according to his religious principles.
“I’ve never had to decide whether to alienate my employers by not going to work on the first day of Pesach. I’ve been able to go to work on the first day of Pesach for religious Jewish reasons.”
Rabbi White also enjoys working with people, something that fills a lot of a rabbi’s day.
“Really, you’re working for Hashem,” he said. “But it’s really working with people, whether you are in a congregation or you’re in education, which I was doing full time for 10 years. That’s just younger people.”
Bio credit: from the recent article about Rabbi White (click to view).
Photo credit: The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle.
Rabbi Scott White
Retired Rabbi, Congregation Ohev Sholom
Phone: (913) 589-9085