About

Before entering the rabbinate, Rabbi Ora Jacobsen’s first love was ballet. She earned a B.S. in Theatre Arts Management from Ithaca College and began her career in performing arts administration, working Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York Live Arts, and Peridance.

In 2025, Rabbi Jacobsen was ordained at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York. During her studies, she served congregations including Beth Sholom Temple in Fredericksburg, VA; B’nai Israel in High Point, NC; and the Unified Jewish Congregation of Baton Rouge, LA. She also served as a pastoral intern at DOROT in NYC, providing spiritual support to older adults. Her capstone research focused on how online learning is transforming the experience of conversion to Judaism.

Rabbi Jacobsen currently serves as Interim Jewish Chaplain at Morristown Medical Center, where she will begin a chaplaincy residency this fall.