My years of rabbinical, chaplain and spiritual direction experience have prepared me for this moment to accompany you. We study Torah together, co-design Healing Circles, I accompany you and your family at end of life and what follows, officiate lifecycle rituals, lead services, facilitate writing/devotional listening groups and so much more.
I have developed a unique approach to studying Torah that I call Torahscope. We begin with each participant’s birth portion. This means that each participant explores the Torah portion that was being read in synagogue the week they were born. Each person asks deeply personal questions about their portion, finding the gems to guide their life. This approach has been highly successful helping the most skeptical grasp the power of Torah study.
I am also available for other forms of Torah study. I believe that we need to ask the questions, “how can this text guide me, our communities, or the world?”
This is the Hebrew letter Chet which can look like a gate and also is the letter associated with the number 8. It is also the first letter of my name, Chaya (alive/life), and is the first letter of the word Chochmah which means wisdom. You will notice that it is made up of two letter zayins. This was made by Barbara Carpenter-Baggett from Beth Chaim Congregation in Danville as part of the Aleph Bet exhibit. This quilt often lays on the Torah when she is open in between readings.
Contact me if you’re interested in joining my next Torahscope class, or learning more about it.
The Torahscope class was my introduction to reading the Torah. Chaya’s teaching and the class provided a meaningful, and at the same time a supportive, introduction to studying Torah by reading our portion and relating it to our life. The class was comfortable and supportive and I appreciated it both as a first step to a deeper understanding of Judaism and encouragement to further learning.
Chaya offers a sweet spot of a helpful amount of structure and the heart opening freedom to engage in torah study. I loved exploring my birth parasha and having the opportunity to share what I discovered with others. I also loved to hear about what was salient for others in our group as they delved into their own portion. We got to deepen our connections with each other as we deepened our relationship with the texts.
I have been learning under Rabbi Chaya’s guidance for the past seven years and would highly recommend any class she offers. She is a gifted teacher. The Torahscope class was especially wonderful.
R. Chaya consistently offers an insight, an invitation, a new heart-opening prompt that allows me to follow my path with more clarity, poetry and focus than when I am left on my own to discover my truths. The sign of a good leader is how easy they make it seem. R. Chaya’s guidance is gentle and delicate. I love to study with her.
End of Life, Loss, Grief, Mourning
We all need support during some of the holiest and painful times of our lives. As a chaplain who worked many years in hospitals and in Palliative Care I have accompanied many people at the end of their lives. This can include Spiritual Direction, legacy work, and other creative rituals. Let me accompany you and your family at the end of life or as you tend the broken heart. Contact me to as your needs arise so I can be part of your support team.
When the time comes, I can help design a funeral, shiva, memorial, or other ritual as needed. I also periodically offer Jewish Spiritual Direction grief groups.
Many, many thanks for all the gentle ways you guided us for my dad’s memorial. I think we all felt as if my dad would feel comfortable and enjoy the service. Actually, I think he would say, “no need to have a service, but…if you’re having one, why don’t you…” and it would have looked like Sunday!—Much love, Daughter
I am not sure words can express the gratitude that our family feels for the kindness that you have shown to us over my father’s passing. It was such a difficult time. I believe your presence was sent from God to ease our suffering….Thank you for being just what we needed in such a difficult time.—Son
Thank you for creating and holding a reverent, thoughtful and meaningful space for me to share my grief in community. Your thoughts and advice last week were a comfort and have helped me. You have a wonderful way about you, a beautiful voice, and a gentle spirit. Thank you for preparing me, for setting the table and for allowing everyone to bear witness, to support me and love me.—Woman in Mourning
Your stewardship of the whole process of the funeral was so thoughtful, skillful and compassionate towards all of us involved, I felt held, lightly and completely in your wise hands. The way you crafted your life review of Laurel out of the material you elicited from us on was tremendous. Everything you said, all of your remarks, your explanation of the traditions, your transitions, were perfect. I have never been to a funeral as meaningful as this one and I think it was an overwhelmingly large part because of you. —Close friend
Life Cycle Rituals and Other Services
Lifecycle Rituals
Wedding, funeral, shiva, baby welcoming, retirement, recovery, healing. I welcome working with people of all walks of life, inter – spiritual couples/families and people with no religious or spiritual affiliation. Family is defined openly. The possibilities are endless.
Interim Rabbi/Guest Rabbi
While your congregation is searching for a permanent rabbi, is on sabbatical, or on vacation. You might just need someone to join your team to lead High Holy Days, lead a service, or teach Torah study on occasion. Over the past 20 years I have served in these various capacities for Or Shalom Jewish Community (San Francisco), Temple Beth Ora in Edmonton, Kol HaEmek in Ukiah, Beth Chaim Congregation in Danville, Coastside Jewish Community in Half Moon Bay, Beth Shalom in Walnut Creek, Kehilla Community Synagogue in Piedmont, Yavneh in Raleigh, N. Carolina, Beit Haverim in Oregon, Chadeish Yameinu in Santa Cruz, and Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley.
Jewish/Buddhist Gatherings
With my beloved friend and colleague Buddhist teacher and musician Eve Decker, we draw upon the traditions of both Judaism and Buddhism. We offer personally designed workshops and healing circles. We led the second day Rosh Hashanah services at Kehilla Community Synagogue for more than eleven years.
Speaking Opportunities
I have taught about many topics, including:
Reducing the stigma of suicide in the Jewish tradition.
What the Jewish tradition says about healing and supporting the sick.
Jewish rituals that support the mourning path.
How to design a meaningful spiritual support group.
Jewish liturgy/prayer and Torah as medicine.
Using creative expression to support your work team.
Thank you for creating such a beautiful ceremony for our wedding. It was a joyous and memorable experience beyond what we could have imagined. We so appreciate all your care, guidance, reassurance, and attention to details and your humor.With love and gratitude, Rachel and Jenn
Thank you so much for facilitating such a beautiful wedding. Thank you for helping our friends give us the mikva’ot. It was a great experience and amazing preparation for the big day. Our friend described you as a marriage doula and she couldn’t be more accurate. You supported us, got us ready, and guided us through the entire wedding process. We loved you, our family loved you, our guests loved you. We will never forget our day and we were lucky to have worked with you.–Teddy and Erin
Chaya Gusfield is a gifted facilitator of the heart. My experience with the class Prayer as Medicine was profound. Although I was quite familiar with some of the prayers that we delved into the way in which they were shared and the group sharing helped me to go deeper into them. I took away a new way of looking at prayer and looking at how I can use them as medicine – not just words to say, but words to heal and connect me Source. Thank you Chaya for your deep facilitation and guidance.– Shayndel K
I sign up for every course or group Chaya offers. I always find myself in very good company and forging deep relationships with others in the group–but, most especially, with myself. Chaya’s relaxed manner makes her leadership look easy but that’s because she’s so good at it.– Bracha Stone
