Milgram, Goldie, 1955-

Gail Mara Milgram was born in Philadelphia January 6, 1955 to Samuel Milgram and Leona Fradin Milgram. She officially changed her name to Goldie, her Yiddish name, as an adult. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975, and an M.S.W. from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in 1979, for which she also completed some coursework at the Hornstein Program for Jewish Communal Service at Brandeis University. Milgram also worked and volunteered in a number of Jewish communal organizations, including several positions within the Jewish Y’s and Centers of Greater Philadelphia and the Jewish Federations, ultimately serving as the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Cumberland County in New Jersey.

Milgram received rabbinical ordination and a Masters in Hebrew Letters from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1993, during which time she served as the part-time rabbi for Temple Beth El in Hammonton, NJ, a position that she continued in after ordination. She served as the Dean of Admissions and Professional Development for the Academy for Jewish Religion from 1994-2002 and is a member of the OHALAH / ALEPH rabbinical ordination and Haspa’ah (Jewish spiritual director and guide) Program faculties. Milgram received a Doctor of Ministry from the New York Theological Seminary in 2003. She received a private rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in 2000 and a formal ordination as a spiritual director and as Schachter-Shalomi’s shaliach (Jewish legal emissary) in 2009.

In 2000, Rabbi Milgram founded reclaimingjudaism.org, a site through which Rabbi Milgram and Rabbi Shohama Wiener aim to teach Jewish spirituality and practice through online workshops, courses, retreats, resources, and teleconferences. She has also taught courses on Jewish Renewal at a number of retreats, Jewish Community Centers, congregations, universities, and institutes all over the world. Rabbi Milgram has written several books, including the Reclaiming Judaism three-volume series, Make Your Own Bar/Bat Mitzvah: A Personal Guide to Creating a Meaningful Rite of Passage and Living Jewish Life Cycle .

Rabbi Milgram was previously married to Robert G. Beitman, M.D., with whom she has two sons, Adam and Mark. Together they wrote a weekly column on preventative medicine in the 1980s and early 1990s called “Health Watch”. Rabbi Milgram is currently married to Barry Bub, M.D., author of Communication Skills that Heal: A Practical Approach to a New Professionalism in Medicine . They periodically teach courses and retreats on Jewish Renewal and couples together.

From the guide to the Goldie Milgram, papers, undated, 1900-2009 (bulk 1980-2005), (American Jewish Historical Society)