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June 29, 2001/Tamuz 8, 5761, Vol. 53, No.39
New rabbi hopes to teach, inspire
BETH OLSON
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 Rabbi Peter Levi, right, will move to Scottsdale this week with his wife, Ruth, left, and two sons. Levi is the new associate rabbi at Temple Chai. Photo courtesy of Peter Levi |
As he grew older, Levi envisioned himself becoming a teacher, perhaps a professor of mathematics or philosophy. While he did in fact become a teacher, the subject he eventually chose to teach was Jewish law - Levi became a rabbi.
"For me (being a rabbi) is a different kind of teaching," Levi explains. "It's not just filling heads with information, but the kind of teaching that inspires people - inspires them (to lead) a Jewish life, to contribute to their community."
Levi, 37, has accepted a position effective July 3 as associate rabbi at Temple Chai. He was formerly the assistant rabbi at Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles for three years.
Levi has purchased a home in Scottsdale for his family - wife Ruth, and two sons, Elijah, 2, and Zeke, 3 months. Ruth is an artist; she does calligraphy and paper-cutting, an ancient Jewish art form. In addition to creating ketubot (Jewish marriage documents) and other Judaic art, Ruth worked as an apprentice to a Torah scribe for two years.
Levi was raised in Los Angeles as Peter Lee, son of Joan and Roger Lee. Roger Lee was born with the last name Levi, but the family changed its name to Lee during World War II to "Americanize" themselves, explains Levi. Levi returned to the traditional family name when he married Ruth.
After graduating from Yale in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and mathematics, Levi taught mathematics and philosophy at Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Wallingford, Conn. During the two years he spent there, Levi participated in Shabbat dinners hosted by another teacher at the school, along with several Jewish students.
Upon leaving Choate Rosemary Hall, Levi went back to California to attend graduate school at the University of California at Santa Barbara. At that time, he became very involved with the Hillel on campus.
"I found a real Jewish home for the first time," he recalls.
Levi also met his wife while at UCSB - in a beginning Hebrew class. He spent two summers at the Brandeis Collegiate Institute, where he became a bar mitzvah at age 25. Then, after nearly completing his doctorate in philosophy, he left school to attend rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles.
Though he acknowledges that some people may see his secular upbringing as a disadvantage, Levi does not view his background as a stumbling block.
"My perspective is that while I missed out on the opportunity to celebrate much of the Jewish holidays as a kid, I also had the privilege of learning it all as an adult and really understanding the meaning and the purpose and value to it as an adult. Being an adult learner adult learner is very different from being a child learner."
Levi says he doesn't have a model from his own childhood to pattern Jewish traditions for his children, but he hopes to develop his own traditions.
"I have to create and invent within the framework of our traditions a meaningful way to celebrate Judaism in our home," he says. "We hope to create a home where Judaism is organic to who we are and what we do, like eating dinner and going to baseball games."
Levi emphasizes that although his upbringing was not rich in Jewish tradition, his parents were very philanthropic and involved in community activities.
"I always grew up with a very strong civic sense, but not religiously involved. I think becoming a teacher and the civic sense is all connected," he says.
At Temple Chai, Levi's responsibilities will include teaching, working with families, leading services, being involved in retreats and the Shalom Center. He also plans to coordinate the adult b'nai mitzvah program and the confirmation program.
"What I really hope is to come in and contribute not just to Temple Chai, but the greater Jewish community in Phoenix and really the community at large."