Rabbi Katja Vehlow was working in Brooklyn, training to be a hospital chaplain, when she learned about an open position at Fordham: campus rabbi, Jewish chaplain, and director of Jewish life. In many ways, it was her “dream job,” said Vehlow, who moved into this role on May 1. “It allows me to combine so many parts of myself and of my work experience.”
And then, of course, there’s the honor of being first. This new role is part of a multi-faith expansion in Campus Ministry, which is also welcoming its first campus imam and director of Muslim life, Imam Ammar Abdul Rahman, this year. “I feel privileged that I can be part of this,” Vehlow said.
A native of Germany, Vehlow earned master’s degrees in divinity and Jewish civilization before immigrating to the United States, where she earned her doctorate in medieval Jewish history from New York University in 2006. She spent nine years as an associate professor of religious studies at the University of South Carolina before returning to New York to join the man who is now her husband.
Vehlow knows something about crossing faith boundaries. She grew up Protestant but converted to Judaism in 2001—“I felt very at home in Judaism when I encountered it,” she said—and was ordained in 2022. At Fordham, she looks forward to fostering interfaith dialogue, among many other things.
Why is this role at Fordham well matched with your experience?
On the one hand, because of my love for Judaism, and different ways of being Jewish, and different ways of integrating religious identities. And then there’s the chaplaincy aspect. I anticipate I’ll be with students in their joys but also in things that are difficult as they’re figuring out who they are, who they want to be. And the third reason is my love for being on a university campus and working with young people.
What kinds of activities are you planning?
I plan to observe and support what’s happening already—the regular Shabbat dinners on both campuses and the programming around the fall High Holidays. We’ll have cultural events, some excursions, and art workshops in the spring. For the new academic year, we’re starting out with a series of weekly conversations in Judaism at both campuses. All events for our Jewish community are also open to everybody; when we build a sukkah—or ceremonial hut—at Rose Hill in October to mark the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, that’s going to be a multi-faith event.
In the future, I hope to have, together with Imam Ammar and a Christian colleague, a seminar for emerging faith leaders involving Jewish, Muslim, and Christian students who would meet regularly and build relationships.
Why is it important for young people—or anyone—to encounter people of different faiths?
Because in doing so, we learn more about ourselves and appreciate our own traditions more. After hanging out for the first time with Muslims, some of my friends deeply admire the discipline of praying five times a day. And it gets them to think about their own prayer life and what, maybe, they could take from that. But also, knowing more about other people who are not like us can be a great antidote against conflict and violence.
How can we maintain a peaceful, respectful atmosphere on campus even as passions are stirred by things like the war in Gaza or the upcoming presidential election?
The most important thing is building, strengthening, and maintaining relationships, which I think have been fraying since COVID and maybe before. I know this is going on among students, faculty, and staff. I see it in little things, like faculty talking to me about their need to talk to each other in person and have thicker relationships. There’s also the new FitzSimons Fellow in the Office of the President, Anthony Barry, and the civics initiative he’s leading.
I think when people feel that they belong and that we all have a place here, then it is perhaps more possible to talk very openly about the difficult things, the things that pain us. It means for everybody on campus to know that they’re heard.
Jewish Life Events:
Shabbat Dinners, 6 – 8 p.m.
Sept. 6, Lincoln Center campus, Sept. 13, Rose Hill campus. Sign up.
Lunch and Learn—Tshuva: Getting Ready for the New Year Enjoy a light lunch and explore your life and your relationships through a Jewish lens as the Jewish new year approaches. No prior knowledge is necessary. All are welcome. Tuesdays at 1 p.m., Lincoln Center campus; Wednesdays at noon, Rose Hill campus.
Rosh Hashanah Dinner, Oct. 2, 6 p.m., Lincoln Center campus.
Please contact Rabbi Vehlow at kvehlow@fordham.edu with any questions. Follow her on Instagram: rabbiAtFordham. Sign up to receive the Fordham Jewish Life Newsletter.
