Rabbi Jessie Wainer serves as the Associate Rabbi at
Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard, IL
Rabbi Wainer works with community members of all ages. She, along with the team at CEC, works to develop creative worship experiences, walks with families through their times of sorrow and joy, and brings Torah to life for people of all ages. In addition to all pulpit, pastoral and educational experiences, Rabbi Wainer works in sacred partnership with lay leaders to shepherd all of the social justice initiatives of the congregation, as well as overseeing the B’nai Mitzvah program, young professionals group, congregational retreat, interfaith initiatives and the Worship Committee.
Rabbi Wainer currently serves as the Chair of the Camp Council for the URJ’s 6-Points Creative Arts Academy where she is a founding faculty member. She also serves on the Core Team of RAC-IL (Religious Action Center - Illinois state project), is a board member of DuPage United/Fox River Valley Initiative (a Metro-IAF affiliate) and an executive committee member of the Chicago Board of Rabbis.
Rabbi Wainer previously served as the Associate Rabbi and Director of Congregational Learning for Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation (NVHC) in Reston, VA. She was ordained from Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in 2016. While there, she also earned as Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters in 2015, as well as a Master of Arts in Education Administration from Xavier University in 2015. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies, with Honors, as well as minors in Hebrew and Psychology from Indiana University - Bloomington.
While at NVHC, Rabbi Wainer was responsible for all of the educational opportunities at NVHC, where she has created innovative and experiential educational programs for individuals of all ages and stages. Additionally, she helped to found the Rebuilding Democracy Project, which addresses toxic polarization in the Jewish community.
While attending HUC-JIR, Rabbi Wainer served as the Rabbinic Intern for Temple Shalom in Louisville, KY from 2014-2016. During this time, she also served as a Jewish Foundation Fellow at Rockwern Academy Community Jewish Day School from 2015-2016 and as a Fellow at The Valley Temple from 2014-2015. Prior to that, Rabbi Wainer served as a student rabbi at Temple Beth Israel in Bay City & Saginaw, MI and at Temple Beth El in Beckley, WV.
Rabbi Wainer is a recipient of the inaugural One America Movement Voices of Integrity - Challenge Award and the iCenter Master’s Concentration in Israel Education. She is currently seeking a certificate in Fundraising and Development from New York University.
Outside of her work in the Jewish community, Rabbi Wainer is a stained glass artist and photographer. She also enjoys taking long walks with her dog Tali, SCUBA diving, playing one of her various musical instruments and baking challah.