Elizabeth Goldstein

Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University and serves as the Jewish Chaplain in the Office of Mission and Ministry. She is affiliated with the Department of Religious Studies within the College of Arts and Sciences, contributing to both academic and spiritual life on a Jesuit Catholic campus in Spokane, Washington.

Her research focuses on the intersections of religion, gender, and ancient texts, particularly in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish traditions. Key areas include Hebrew Bible studies, Jewish Women’s Studies, gender in religious texts, contemporary Judaism, and interfaith engagement between Jewish and Christian communities. She teaches courses on Judaism and Gender, Contemporary Israel, Hebrew language, and Biblical Studies, and also teaches in the Aleph Ordination Program (AOP), extending her educational impact beyond Gonzaga.

While specific publications in journal form are not listed in detail, her scholarly work centers on gender, purity, and women’s roles in biblical and Jewish contexts. She is the author of Impurity in Gender in the Hebrew Bible (Lexington, 2015) and is completing Women in the Jewish Traditions (NYU Press). Her writings appear in The Torah: A Woman’s Commentary and other scholarly volumes, indicating a consistent contribution to feminist and religious scholarship.

She has held leadership roles in national Jewish organizations, including serving as Chair of the Program Committee for Ohalah (Jewish Renewal Clergy) and maintaining membership in both Ohalah and CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbis). Her academic formation includes ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (2001) and a PhD in Hebrew Bible/Ancient History from the University of California, San Diego (2010).

Rabbi Goldstein plays a vital role in building connections between Jewish and Christian communities, students and faculty, and Gonzaga University and the broader Jewish community in Spokane. She integrates academic scholarship with spiritual leadership, fostering interfaith dialogue and religious education in a Catholic university setting.