Chel Mandell (they/them) is a queer non-binary Jew from the San Francisco Bay Area. They are in their 5th and final year of rabbinical school at the Academy for Jewish Religion CA: a non-denominational accredited rabbinical school. They are deeply committed to reimaging Jewish community landscapes through creative ritual and reimaging how Judaism fits into the next decade + and for generations to come.
They are a dedicated and soulful Jewish educator/director with 10 years of experience teaching in the Bay Area. Chel received a B.A. from the University of San Francisco in Environmental Studies with a minor in Jewish Studies and Social Justice. Chelsea attended Sierra Nevada University where they received their MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration on the intersection of art practice, activism, and community engagement. Chelsea just completed a year-long rabbinic internship with The Kitchen SF, learning new ways to “do Jewish” and is thrilled to integrate this knowledge into their expanding communities.
Chel is an avid surfer/ocean lover, ceramicist/sculptor, outdoor enthusiast and social justice activist- with visions of bringing all of these interests and intersections to enrich their rabbinate. They dream of a radical new Jewish world with open ended creativity and inclusivity.
Chel is the founder and spiritual leader of the Tzimtzim Collective, a queer/ trans Jewish community in Santa Cruz. They also work as the program manager of the JEDI + JSSJ program at the University of San Francisco.