Like most moms, our October MOMentum Mom wears a lot of hats. Rabbi Ariel Boxman wears a yarmulke to work as rabbi educator at Temple Shalom in Naples. Growing up in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, she wore a swim cap as a competitive swimmer in high school. Recently, she started wearing the hat of the new director at Temple Shalom Preschool. Her favorite hat is the one of mom to her two boys, Jacob, 3, and Matan, 1.
Where were you born/raised? I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but spent my childhood in the Caribbean on the island of St. Thomas. My dad is also a rabbi, and he was the chief rabbi of the island.
What was it like growing up in St. Thomas? Growing up in St. Thomas was very cool. I was on a swim team, and we practiced in the ocean. And when we had meets, we flew to neighboring islands to compete. The Jewish community was small, but very tight knit.
Where did you go to college? I went to American University in Washington, D.C., where I studied international relations. I then went on to rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College and was ordained a rabbi in 2012. I earned a master’s in education in 2013.
How did you meet your husband Asher? We met in Dallas, Texas. We were set up on a blind date and were engaged less than six months later. The woman who set us up had been trying to get us together for two years before we both finally agreed. She knew it would be a perfect fit.
What brought you to Naples? My job at Temple Shalom. I was offered the job as its rabbi educator when I was nine months pregnant with my youngest son, Matan, and moved down here two months later.
Tell us about how you became a rabbi. I went to rabbinical school for five years. The first year I lived in Jerusalem and studied at a seminary there and then came back to the U.S. and studied an additional four years in Cincinnati.
What was your favorite part about being a Hillel rabbi? (a Hillel is a Jewish center on a college campus) I was a Hillel rabbi for one year (at Denison University) while I was still in seminary. I loved working with the students and being able to guide them along their spiritual journeys. I also had the opportunity to lead multiple Birthright trips to Israel and especially enjoyed seeing Israel through my students’ eyes.
Editor note: A Birthright trip is an all-expense-paid organized trip to Israel that is open to all Jewish nonresident adults who are high school graduates ages 18-32 in an effort to bolster Jewish identity.
What are some of your favorite rabbinical moments? My favorite part of being a rabbi is when I get to officiate at weddings. I feel so blessed to be able to play this part in bringing two souls together. I also love the opportunities that I have to engage with children and provide them with educational experiences. I truly believe I have the best job in the world.
I feel lucky every day that I wake up and get to continue doing this holy work.
What causes are important to you? I am a big proponent of peace in the Middle East. My husband is from Israel and all of our family is there. I support many organizations that work to bring peace to Israel and her neighbors.
What are your hobbies? In my free time I enjoy going to the beach with my family and discovering new restaurants. I also enjoy climbing the aerial silks and dropping from great heights. Prior to moving to Naples, I worked out daily at a circus gym and loved the thrill of learning new tricks and routines.
What is your family do for fun during the quarantine? We spend a lot of time in the pool! Both of my sons learned how to swim during the pandemic and we all have great Florida tans to show for it.
What is your family looking forward to doing after COVID-19? My sons are excited to go back to Costco and enjoy the delicious samples. I am looking forward to traveling to Israel to see our family.
What are you excited about in your new role as preschool director of Temple Shalom Preschool? I am thrilled to take on this role of preschool director. I have an incredible team of teachers to work with and the most adorable students in the world. Being able to greet smiling faces every morning and hear laughter in the hallways is the absolute best. My son Jacob will be attending Temple Shalom Preschool this year, and being able to see him daily is a real treat.
What are your biggest struggles as a parent? Finding enough time to do it all! Being a working mom is challenging because I need to balance my professional aspirations with my desire to be the best mom and wife I can possibly be. I try to focus on one day at a time and take notice of “mom-wins” whenever I can. My heart especially goes out to all parents right now of young children. Parenting during normal times is a challenge, but even more so during a pandemic. I pray we all get through this and come out stronger!
How did you celebrate the Jewish New Year with your family? We spent the holiday with my parents enjoying delicious food and apple cake for dessert. My family viewed [Rosh Hashanah services] from home while I lead services [at Temple]. Jacob likes to say that he is also Rabbi Boxman. He blew his shofar at home while Rabbi Miller was sounding his at the service.
Boxman family
Rabbi Boxman and her husband Asher Saida with their children Jacob and Matan in the preschool playground.
Photos by Lisette Morales
From the October Issue of Neapolitan Family. Read this issue.
