Meggie O’Dell is a second-year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where she is also pursuing a master’s degree in Jewish sacred music through the H.L. Miller Cantorial School. Before coming to New York, Meggie lived in Chicago, where she completed one year at Northwestern University School of Law and later worked as the Communications Associate for Chicago Jewish Day School. While in Chicago, in addition to her involvement with the Jewish community, Meggie volunteered at the Center on Halsted, a GLBTQ community center, and donated her time to Power Lunch, a literacy program for elementary school students, and the Jimmy Doe Project, an advocacy program for incarcerated minors. Originally from central California, Meggie graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Southern California, where she earned a BM in Vocal Performance (Opera) and a BA with departmental honors in British History. In addition to her rabbinical studies, Meggie teaches for B’nai Jeshurun Hebrew School, the Jewish Journey Project, and Jewish Teen Forum. She is also the Associate Director of Seven Wells: Sex Education Redrawn, serves as rabbinic intern at Shaare Zion Congregation in Montreal, Canada, and was the 5774 cantorial soloist for Congregation Tikva Tova in Cape Town, South Africa. Meggie lives in Washington Heights with her 11-year-old basset hound, Buford.
