about malkhut
Come be a part of our effort to build a progressive Jewish spiritual community in Western Queens (LIC, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Woodside). Our vision is to transform Jewish people, fellow travelers and the world by creating connections to each other, to the One and to our greater community. We practice ecstatic, musical, and contemplative prayer, mindfulness meditation through a Jewish lens, study of Jewish sources, and social justice work. We are striving to build an open, inclusive community of spiritual seekers, especially for those who may not have found a home in more conventional religious settings. We want to be community composed of Jewish individuals of all ages, fellow travelers, families with kids, interfaith couples, Jews of color, LGBTQ folks, and curious seekers. We are creating a space that honors the inspiration and meaning that so many Jews have found in many eastern spiritual traditions, and our doors are open to those from other faith traditions who find meaning in Judaism.
What does Malkhut (מלכות) mean?
According to the Jewish mystical tradition, Malkhut and Shekhinah are both names for the aspect of Divinity that is most accessible to humanity. It represents our experience of Being unfolding in every moment. Malkhut is also an embracing feminine aspect of Divinity. Our intention is for Malkhut to engender that experience of loving awareness and present-moment unfolding. The name is also a bit of a word play. "Malkhut" comes from the word for sovereignty, or "queenship," thus, a play on the name of our fair borough of Queens!
who are we?
Rabbi Rachel (pronounced Ra-khel רחל ) Goldenberg (Founder) (she/her)
Rabbi Goldenberg (she/her) is the founder of Malkhut. Rabbi Goldenberg received her ordination from HUC-JIR in New York in 2003 and served as Assistant/Associate rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, TX and Rabbi of CBSRZ in Chester, Connecticut. In 2016, she moved back to the urban core of New York City to build an open, outreach-driven community around authentic, yet experimental, ecstatic and contemplative Jewish spiritual practices. Influenced by her training through the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, she teaches mindfulness meditation and chant-based prayer in order to open our hearts to one another and to the Divine. She also teaches Torah through the lens of mindfulness. Rabbi G. has served on the faculty of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and is a graduate of Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s Clergy Leadership and Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training programs. Rabbi G. serves on the Rabbinic Council of JFREJ (Jews for Racial and Economic Justice,) has served as co-Chair of T’ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, is a founder and co-chair of Tirfof: New York Jewish Clergy for Justice, and is a member of the JStreet Rabbinic Cabinet.
Rabbi Goldenberg and her family happily reside in Jackson Heights, Queens! She is married to Jim Talbott, and they are the parents of two teenagers, Amina and Ziv Goldenberg.
You can find some of Rabbi Goldenberg's sermons and other writings here.
Kris Wettstein (Music Director)
Kris Wettstein is a musician and teacher interested in the intersection of art, spirituality and activism. He believes that music can be a powerful tool for personal and societal transformation. As a songwriter and musical artist, he has performed in many parts of the United States and internationally. He has been teaching students to play a variety of instruments and sing for over 10 years. Currently, he teaches music at PS 124 in Park Slope. In December 2017, he completed the Meditation Teacher Training program at The Interdependence Project in Manhattan. He has been collaborating with Rabbi Goldenberg to create musical community at Malkhut since 2016. Kris is a graduate of Walla Walla College, and Rice University, where he obtained his Master’s in piano performance. Kris believes that music at Malkhut is all about intimacy with the divine source of love, life and music happening in real time. This can take many shapes: playful, awe inspiring, messy, austere, ugly, beautiful, pretty much the whole spectrum of experience is fair game. From this intimate core, the music opens out in all directions. Ability levels are irrelevant, connecting is something we all can do. Anyone is welcome to join in!
Marina Bardash Nebro (Director of Education)
Marina Nebro (she/her) leads all education programming at Malkhut. She comes to the Malkhut community with a professional background in non-traditional education, and a life-long personal connection to seeking and strengthening her own Jewish identity. It is her passion to engage with audiences of all ages to foster a love of learning and curiosity, and she is excited to bring her knowledge and skillsets to grow Malkhut’s Youth Institute for Spirituality and Action. Working alongside Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg, parents, guardians, and children, her hope is to create a community of life-long spiritual and social justice seekers!
To learn more about our Youth Institute teachers, click HERE.
Alexa Weitzman (Director of Operations and Advancement)
Alexa Weitzman (she/her) found her spiritual home at Malkhut 7 years ago. In early 2022, she officially joined Malkhut's stellar team as Director of Engagement and Advancement where she collaborates with Rabbi G. to design and implement fundraising campaigns, as well as develops relationships with donors and secures foundational funding to set up Malkhut for a successful, sustainable future. Alexa also coordinates communications and program logistics, supports Malkhut Mishpacha, and oversees collaborations for the High Holy Days and other holidays throughout the year. Alexa loves to sew and cook and lives in Central Queens with her husband and son.
Emily Herzlin (Student Rabbi)
Emily (she/her) is interested in Jewish spirituality, particularly the intersections of mindfulness, meditation, and Judaism. She is a certified mindfulness teacher and has spent the last few years teaching meditation in hospitals in New York City. Emily spent several years studying Buddhism before making her way back to Judaism. Now Emily hopes to help spiritual seekers connect to the powerful practices of mindfulness, compassion, and ethical action within Judaism. Emily cares deeply about social justice and supporting interfaith families. Emily lives in Queens, NY with her spouse, Kris, and is a Rabbinic Intern with Malkhut. She is the founder and guiding teacher of Mindful Astoria, a local meditation community. She has an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Columbia University.
Rebecca Forlenza (Community Engagement Coordinator)
Rebecca Forlenza (she/her) joined Malkhut in 2020, and after several years of volunteering and lay leadership, she joined the fabulous Malkhut staff as the Community Engagement Coordinator. Rebecca works to grow our ever-evolving community through strengthening volunteerism, bringing in new Partners, enhancing lay leadership opportunities, and supporting planning of our many events and celebrations. She brings her many years of experience in early childhood education to her work at Malkhut through creative thinking and relationship building. Rebecca and her husband and two children live in Astoria and can usually be found on bikes, on skis, in a park, or eating something delicious from our many local options!
Carl Hansen (Shammes)
Carl Hansen (he/him) is Malkhut's shammes. A Yiddish word originating from the Hebrew shammāsh (a server or attendant), a shammes is the caretaker of a synagogue and, metaphorically, a candle that lights other candles. Carl does the hands-on work of setting up Malkhut events, doing what's needed to help things run smoothly, and generally keeping an eye on things. He came to Malkhut by way of his seven-year connection with Mindful Astoria, a meditation community founded by Emily Herzlin where Rabbi G attends events and sometimes teaches. Carl completed the Meditation Teacher Training program at The Interdependence Project, where Emily was a teacher, and he now teaches and does a range of support work for Mindful Astoria. Carl deeply values his place in the interconnected Mindful Astoria and Malkhut communities. He follows Zen Buddhist teachings and practice, and is a graduate of Columbia University.
