Rabbi Ziona Zelazo – usually referred to as Rabbi Ziona, was ordained at The Academy for Jewish Religion (AJR) in New York. She is a trans-denominational rabbi who brings a wide range of experiences, skills and perspectives to her rabbinate and counseling practice.
Rabbi Ziona is the daughter of Holocaust survivors, and was born and raised in Haifa, Israel. She served in The Israeli Defense Force as an Electronic Intelligence Sergeant during the War of Attrition, and studied Biblical archaeology and ancient languages in Tel Aviv University under Professors David Ussishkin, Nadav Na’aman and Anson Rainy (just to name a few).
About Rabbi Ziona
Rabbi Ziona completed her academic education in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and taught as an adjunct professor of cultural anthropology at Montclair State University, New Jersey. Her research focuses on the acculturation process of five Ethiopian families who immigrated to Israel with Operation Moses. As an anthropologist, she loves to travel and saw many corners of the big world. She participated in expeditions to Egypt, Jordan, Eastern Turkey, Kenya and Tanzania. She also traveled to the Far East -- Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Korea.
Rabbi Ziona officiates in life cycle rituals, conducting services, providing Jewish education to adults, ministering pastoral care in home and hospital setting to all age groups. Known for her compassionate mentoring and interactive teaching style, Rabbi Ziona is available to be the guest rabbi for teaching in different geographical areas and also for private or group counseling sessions.
Rabbi Ziona is an associate chaplain at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ. Her Clinical Pastoral Education was at Valley Hospital and at Overlook Medical Center in New Jersey. Her training includes programs in spiritual guidance, bereavement support and pre-marital couples counseling. Rabbi Ziona is also a certified Disaster Spiritual Care Provider for the American Red Cross. Through her work with the American Red Cross, she has been deployed to communities affected by fires, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, including in Kentucky, Oregon, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and North Carolina. Thus, witnessed firsthand how devastating a disaster can be for individuals, families, and entire communities.