RABBIS AND CANTOR | RABBI DEBRA ROBBINS

Rabbi Debra J. Robbins
Associate Rabbi

Rabbi Debra Robbins was ordained in June of 1991 at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati Ohio, after receiving her Master of Arts degree in Hebrew Letters from the Los Angeles campus of HUC-JIR. She attended Colby College in Maine and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley.

Originally from Newton, Massachusetts, Rabbi Robbins grew up at Temple Israel of Boston. While in rabbinic school she served congregations in Kokomo, Indiana, Anchorage, Alaska, and Los Angeles, California. She has been a camp director, and spent many summers in leadership and programming development positions at URJ regional camps. While in graduate school Rabbi Robbins participated in conferences on the environment, world peace, and interfaith relations and served as an intern with Danny Siegel, a leader in Jewish philanthropy and tzedakah.

Rabbi Robbins wrote her rabbinic thesis on Biblical and Rabbinic Background, Theological Aspects and Ecological Implications of the Hebrew Calendar. While at HUC, she received the Jack and Audrey Skirball Award in Homiletics and the Louis and Minnie Raphael Award for Outstanding Service to a Small Congregation.

In Dallas, Rabbi Robbins has served on the Advisory Council and in the mentoring program of the DISD Talented and Gifted Magnet School, on the Board of Campus Jewish Network of Southern Methodist University, Planned Parenthood, AIDS Arms, and Wise Academy. She participates regularly in an interfaith group for women in ministry. She has participated in conferences sponsored by the Alban Institute focusing on congregational systems and staff development. She currently serves on the board of Jewish Family Service.

Rabbi Robbins has served Temple Emanu-El for 19 years and currently works closely with the Celebrations Committee, the Outreach Department and Caring Congregation, having previously concentrated her efforts on Adult Jewish Learning. In addition to pastoral, Life Cycle and preaching responsibilities, she coordinates the work of the professional program staff team, teaches classes for adults, and facilitates a Sixth Grade Community Movers.

She has published an essay in the book Ecology and the Jewish Spirit: Where Nature and the Sacred Meet. Her work is also included in a book by Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, The Women's Torah Commentary. On sabbatical in the winter of 2003 she studied the writing of creative non-fiction and published an essay in Reform Judaism magazine.

Rabbi Robbins is involved nationally with the Central Conference of American Rabbis, as past chair of the Convention Program Committee, served on the Nominating Committee, participated on a task force focusing on issues related to officiation at the weddings of interfaith couples, and currently serves as Vice President for Leadership. She has served on the Alumni Council of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, on the board of the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis, and is a member of the Women’s Rabbinic Network.

On a more personal note, Rabbi Robbins has traveled with her husband, Larry S. Robbins, and her son, Sam, to eight United States National Parks, and made seventeen trips to Israel in her lifetime. In 2006 she participated in the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, walking 60 miles to raise money for Breast Cancer research.

Rabbi Debra Robbins is married to Larry S. Robins, Executive Director of PediPlace in Lewisville and is the mother of Samuel Norman.