Rabbi Juan Mejía
Rabbi Juan Mejía was born in Bogotá, Colombia. After discovering the beauty of Judaism and the Jewish origins of his family, he chose to convert to Judaism and dedicate his life to making Torah accessible to all. He holds degrees from the National University of Colombia and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He received his rabbinical ordination in 2009 from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. He currently serves as one of the resident rabbis for Be'chol Lashon and lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Rabbi Abby Jacobson, and his family.
Articles by Rabbi Juan Mejía
Longtime Virtual Rabbi Offers Advice on “Doing Jewish” Online
The virtualization of the Jewish world due to the coronavirus pandemic will fundamentally alter the nature of Jewish engagement.
Coming to Believe in Collective Prayers of Repentance
How a former Catholic became a believer and leader of collective Jewish prayers of repentance.
Blessed Are Thou Lord Who Multitasks
Rosh Hashanah is a magical time. Or at least, we seem to think so. According to the Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah ...
Reb Zalman in the Andes
This piece is being published on the yahrzeit of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi of blessed memory, may his teachings endure. It begins like ...
How to Welcome the Stranger: A Modern Midrash
1 in 6 contemporary Jews are new to Judaism. How are we supposed to welcome these converts? Rabbi Juan Mejia, a ...
Purim in Paradise, from Nashville to the Caribbean
Imagine Purim by the crystal clear and warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. No need for warm costumes or shoveling ...
Amazing and Improbable Transformations for the New Year
Change is an inevitable part of our lives. Most changes, however, happen to us from the outside: we age, we ...
Jewish Joy At Carnival
Carnival, Mardi Gras, Carnaval. These words convey exhuberance, dancing, masks, and overflowing joy (and often excess). From Rio to New ...
Psalms for the Philippines
Oklahoma City, where I live, has an amazing Jewish community. And, unfortunately, this amazing Jewish community is an expert in ...