"A priest, Rabbi Evette Lutman, and a pastor walk into a bar ..."

Rabbi Evette Lutman holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ohio University and a Juris Doctorate from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. After graduation from law school, she represented battered women in various settings, eventually serving for 10 years as a Referee for the Washtenaw County Friend of the Court in Ann Arbor, Michigan, helping to settle custody, visitation, and child support disputes.

In preparation for going into the rabbinate, Rabbi Evette worked at her Reform congregation in Ann Arbor, as the assistant religious school administrator. She also served for two years as the lay leader for a Reform synagogue in Jackson, Michigan. 

Rabbi Evette moved to Jerusalem to sharpen her Hebrew skills, and attend yeshiva at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. She is passionate about Israel and urges people to visit and stay engaged. She encourages open dialogue about Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She is also passionate about social justice and Tikkun olam—and challenges congregants to be an ongoing part of the repair of our world through personal involvement and public advocacy.

She returned to the United States after two years in Israel, to attend the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia, where she met her wife, Shari Abramowitz. Upon graduation, the couple moved to Denver, Colorado, where Rabbi Evette served as the spiritual leader of B'nai Havurah, Denver Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation. She now teaches freelance.

See more from Rabbi Evette Lutman in Holy Highball, and connect with her at [email protected].

Jewish Reconstructionist is based on the teachings of Mordecai Kaplan and is the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people. They have an expansive view of who's Jewish. This movement began in the 1960s and they were the first to introduce bat mitzvahs (for girls), gay marriage, and gay students. 

Jewish Reconstructionist is one of four movements within Judaism:

• Reformed
• Reconstructionist
• Conservative
• Orthodox

To see more of Rabbi Lutman, watch the latest episode of Holy Highball.

Do you have a question for Rabbi Lutman or Holy Highball? Ask in the comments.