Bruchim haba’im! Welcome! I am Rabbi-Cantor Galit Levy-Slater. I am blessed to be able to serve the Jewish community of Leisure World in Seal Beach, and I am blessed to be able to live in Leisure World and to have married the love of my life, Bob Slater.
Over the past 4 months I have created a new, innovative Jewish community: Beit HaLev, House of the Heart.
My vision for Beit HaLev is a community that is an alternative to what some consider “organized religion.” We are egalitarian, accepting everyone who seeks a spiritual experience, while at the same time following traditional liturgy.
I am excited to announce that Beit HaLev now has a Sefer Torah! Through a generous donation from a dear friend and supporter, we have been able to purchase a beautiful Kosher Torah scroll for our new synagogue. What this means for us is that we can now conduct Torah services, the Torah can be read on Shabbat mornings and we have gained a level of legitimacy within the community.
We have ordered a custom-embroidered Torah Mantle (cover) with a special inscription of dedication to our benefactors, but we should not use the scroll until we have received it because it is not properly protected.
Our Torah will be used at High Holiday and Sukkot Festival services in October 2016 and we will have a dedication ceremony on Simhat Torah.
I received my S’michah (ordination) in August, 2012 from the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI). I was formally installed as rabbi-cantor of Congregation Sholom, a Conservative congregation on September 1, 2012 in Leisure World, and I was accepted into the International Federation of Rabbis, a growing egalitarian worldwide community of rabbis from many different branches of Judaism, on March 4, 2013. I had been a cantor for 3 decades, 18 years serving the Jewish community of Leisure World (Chai!).
I am extremely proud to be a part of the UJUC, United Jewish Universalist Communities, a new Jewish movement that embraces all aspects of Judaism, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, etc., envisioned and founded by Rabbi Steve Blane. For more information on Jewish Universalism and the United Jewish Universalist Communities, go to:
Rabbi Blane, dean and founder of JSLI, also founded the online synagogue, Sim Shalom, which offers Holiday celebrations, Shabbat Ma’ariv services; weekday Ma’ariv services and twice a month Shabbat Shacharit services – online. Weekday Ma’ariv services online are Monday-Thursday at 7PM EDT (4PM PDT) led by JSLI-ordained rabbis and rabbinic students. I lead the services every Thursday evening. All of our services are recorded, so all of these services can be viewed when it is convenient for you. Please join our international community for Shabbat, Holiday and Weekday Ma’ariv service at:
I have included some of my sermons for this year, 5776 (2015-2016); they can be found under my blog on the right side of this page.
If you like my website, please come back and visit often. And stay tuned for more information about Beit HaLev as we grow. I welcome your comments and hope you find inspiration here.
