Rabbi Audrey Korotkin, PhD

Rabbi Audrey Korotkin has invigorated Temple life and worship since her arrival at Temple Beth Israel in 2010. Shabbat now includes many family-centered programs, a new prayer book, and contemporary Jewish liturgical music, in addition to deep engagement in Torah and sermons designed to inspire thought and motivate action. Under her leadership, children and adults alike are engaged in exploring the joy of Jewish living and in ongoing and life-long Jewish learning. Young people seeking a spiritual path have been welcomed by the Temple family. And Temple Beth Israel has reaffirmed its position as a leader in the interfaith community, with Rabbi Korotkin often at the forefront of public conversations on challenging and difficult issues facing our families.

Rabbi Korotkin practices what she preaches about life-long engagement in learning and personal growth. She previously had successful careers in broadcast journalism and public relations, and in June 2018 she earned her Ph.D. in Jewish law and liturgy from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she was ordained in 1999.

Nationally, she is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ Responsa Committee and the Solomon Freehof Institute for Progressive Halakhah, both of which delve into traditional Jewish texts to help resolve contemporary Jewish questions and concerns. Rabbi Korotkin is a frequent contributor to the daily “Ten Minutes of Torah” blog on www.reformjudaism.org, and she led a team of rabbinic scholars who contributed page-by-page commentary for Mishkan HaNefesh, the North American Reform Jewish movement’s new High Holy Days prayer book.

Locally, Rabbi Korotkin is active on the Interfaith Committee of the Ecumenical Conference of Greater Altoona; on the Diversity Committee of Penn State-Altoona; and with WISE Women of Blair County. She serves on the board of IDA (Improved Dwellings for Altoona), a faith-based organization providing affordable housing to individuals and families in the region. Rabbi Korotkin lives in nearby Duncansville, PA, with her husband, award-winning journalist Don C. Clippinger, Esq., and a pack of rescued canines.