Who is my neighbor? A Priest, A Rabbi, and A Reverend Walk into Rolling Ridge

Rabbi Howard Mandell attended and was ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. Prior to his having attended rabbinical school, he lived in Montgomery, AL, where he practiced constitutional and civil rights law for several decades. He has served as a board member and chair of the board of the Southern Poverty Law Center and has taught “social justice” as an adjunct professor at Merrimack College.  Rabbi Mandell is completing his 13th year as the rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in Andover, MA. He has made social justice, interfaith work, and spirituality important parts of his rabbinate. He is currently a member of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and has successfully completed a year-long hospital residency program at Yale University Hospital in New Haven, CT.  He has previously taught and led several programs here at Rolling Ridge.

Father Frank Sevola, OFM has been a Franciscan Friar for 40 years and a priest for 35 years, working mostly in urban ministry. He currently serves as the Guardian (religious superior) at St. Anthony Shrine in Downtown Boston.

As the Executive Director of Rolling Ridge, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Jay works in partnership with the staff to ensure that the guest experience at the Ridge is top quality.  He also partners with retreat leaders to provide excellent programming at the Ridge, and is available to speak about the ongoing ministry and historic mission of Rolling Ridge as a place of rest, retreat, and transformation.  A trained spiritual director and ordained American Baptist pastor, Larry (as he is known by friends) is a graduate of UCLA, Golden Gate Seminary, Franciscan School of Theology, American Baptist Seminary of the West, and the Gateways to God Missional Spiritual Direction Program.  He is also Adjunct Faculty at Merrimack College in the Masters of Spirituality and Spiritual Direction programs.  Eco-spirituality is his passion (and was his doctoral dissertation), encouraging everyone to live into the fullness of our connection with our True Self, nature, God, and all people.

Rev. Genevieve Hosterman is the Associate Pastor of South Church, UCC in Andover. She and her husband are natives of Pennsylvania, who found their way to New England so that Genna could earn her Master of Divinity degree at Yale. Genna is passionate about the intersection of individual development and community, and the magic that comes from radical vulnerability and interdependence. She loves some good folk music and a warm drink on a rainy day.

‍