Dear Rabbi Stewart Paris,

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      I am writing this gratitude letter to you on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. It says here in Wikipedia that the biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (יוֹם תְּרוּעָה‎) which literally means “day of shouting or blasting”. I was ordained by The New Seminary in 2009, and recipient of a Masters’ in Divinity from All Faiths Seminary International 2021.

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   I am hereby desiring to “shout and blast forth “to you, Rabbi Paris, words of gratitude for this past year at AFSI. Forever grateful am I to our Rev Dr. Jon Mundy who led me to Rev. Kathleen Regan who listened to “my story” and encouraged me to enroll in my Masters’ studies at AFSI. Grateful to Rev. Kathleen am I for having given me Dr. Anita Archer as mentor, indeed a teacher of teachers, with whom 

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  I had wondrous opportunity to grow so very much in this septuagenarian vintage. From last September’s class when I first heard you, Rabbi Paris, lecture to us on the Jewish High Holidays, I knew that God/Universe had brought me to my Divine Right Place. Your moving charismatic stories of your long time friendship with our founder, Rabbi Joseph Gelberman and your brilliant heart felt knowledge and delivery of Judaic teachings and practice allowed me to know, from day one, last September, that I had been given the gift of a lifetime.

In gratitude.     ~ Rev. Natalia deRezendes