Adina Amber Ikeman, a rabbinic intern at Tribe 12 and a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, has had an atypical path to the bimah.
When she was 12 years old, she dropped out of Hebrew school and decided that she didn’t want to have a bat mitzvah.
“I think if someone had told my family when I was 12 and had just dropped out of Hebrew school that I was going to become a rabbi, they would have laughed and not believed you,” Ikeman said. “I think over the course of the last 15 years or so, they’ve seen me just deepen my connection to Judaism, and I think now it’s not a surprise at all. I think they’re really excited and proud of me, and I’m glad for that.”
Ikeman said that even when she declined to participate in the more religious aspects of Judaism, she had a strong Jewish identity. The musician, who has won awards for her songwriting and performances, said that it was her time in college that led her to discover just how passionate she was about her culture.
“It was really when I started getting involved in Hillel in college. They asked me to lead music for services, and I didn’t really know how to do that, but I learned, and it was really like finding a love for Jewish music and liturgy,” Ikeman said. “And then going on Birthright and having some really powerful experiences there of spirituality and peoplehood and feeling that sense of belonging and connection to my heritage. I just wanted to learn more about it.”
Now, Ikeman is studying at RRC and helping Tribe 12, an organization that connects young Jewish professionals in the Philadelphia area. Before starting with Tribe 12 recently, she said she found out about the organization the old-fashioned way: Googling it.
“When I moved to Philly a year ago, I found Tribe 12 on the internet, and I went to a couple of programs just as a participant to try and meet other people in the community and get connected,” she said.
She met the previous rabbinic intern at the organization, who was a recent graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
“I saw working for Tribe 12 as an opportunity to hone some of my skills that I haven’t yet had the opportunity to work on, like teaching adult education, and the opportunity to lead the Tribe 12 music circle, which I was really excited about,” Ikeman said. “I’m grateful that I’m going to be able to get to do it as an intern, and just really excited to work with other young adults and help them connect to Judaism in ways that feel meaningful and relevant to them.”
The Tribe 12 music circle meets monthly to sing songs both old and new in Hebrew and English with friends and new faces. Attendees are encouraged to bring an instrument, and the sessions often turn into hearty jams with a variety of folks contributing to the melody.
“Jewish music is something we can connect around. I think it’s really special. I really hope it helps people connect to each other through Jewish song and Jewish tradition,” Ikeman said.
Before coming to Philadelphia, Ikeman spent time in the West, particularly Bozeman, Montana. Needless to say, the pace of life on the East Coast has taken some getting used to for her. But she is glad to be here.
“Living in a big city like Philly has been exciting and nerve-wracking, and there are a lot of things I like about it. There are a lot of things I’m still adjusting to. But ultimately, I think it’s a really great place, and I love the character of the city. I feel like there is a strong sense of ‘Philly character,’ if you know what I mean,” Ikeman said.
As a rabbinic intern at Tribe 12, Ikeman will prepare for her current eventual goal of becoming a congregational rabbi by working with young people and helping them on their Jewish journey. While the Roxborough-Manayunk resident doesn’t belong to a shul yet and is still “shopping around,” she said she can’t wait to find her spiritual center in the city that she now calls home.
“I feel like this is really the right path for me, and I’m excited to be on it,” Ikeman said.
