Our Rabbi

Picture

Rabbi Miriam E. Hamrell MHL, M.Ed., has served as  our religious and spiritual leader at Ahavat Torah Congregation and helped it grow since it was founded in 2003.

She is loved for being a wise and compassionate leader who brings a remarkable variety of experiences and gifts to her calling as our Rabbi. 

Rabbi Miriam provides classes throughout the world on Jewish Ethics, the Spiritual and Inner Meaning of Prayer, Holy Days, Torah, Talmud, Mishnah, Conversion to Judaism, and advice on interpersonal relationships.
Rabbi Miriam would love to hear from you!  Send her your comments or questions about her blog, this week's Torah reading, or anything else!
Did you know . . . .
  • Rabbi Miriam is the only woman Head Rabbi in an American congregation who was born and raised in Israel.
  • Rabbi Miriam was inspired at a young age by her father’s passion for teaching Jewish studies and living a holy life in spite of all he had witnessed during the Holocaust.
  • Rabbi Miriam is a veteran of the Israel Defense Forces.
  • Rabbi Miriam raised three sons with her husband, Dr. Chuck Hamrell in L.A.
  • Rabbi Miriam was ordained as a Rabbi at the Academy of Jewish Religion after many years as a teacher and administrator of Jewish studies in L.A.
  • She spoke in Israel and the Balkans on the roles of female leadership in Judaism.
  • For several years, Ahavat Torah has actively participated in the Jewish-Muslim-Christian Cousins’ Club and interfaith activities. Because of this and our warm relationship with the Christian Lutheran and Sufi Muslim Musallah communities with whom we share our Brentwood Glen sanctuary, Rabbi Miriam was invited to speak in 2009 at the Parliament of World Religions in Australia about co-existence and mutual understanding between Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
  • Our Rabbi is a member of the Tibor Rubin Capitol Post #786 of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America and a leader of the Veterans Holiday Celebration held every year at the VA Grounds in West Los Angeles (more than 4,000 veterans are fed and clothed every year at the VHC; 2017 is the 25th Silver Anniversary of VHC).