Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley Synagogue

Meet Our Rabbi

Rabbi Alicia Magal

Rabbi Alicia Magal has served as the spiritual leader of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley since 2006. Rabbi Magal brings a depth of experience in Judaic studies, the arts, and education to her position. (See complete Curriculum Vitae.) Rabbi Magal received rabbinical ordination in 2003 from the Aleph Jewish Renewal Rabbinical Program, as well as from the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles, California.

A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, majoring in French and Art History, with a Masters in Teaching from Wesleyan University, Rabbi Magal spent seven years in Israel working at the Israel Broadcasting Authority national television station and as a licensed tour guide for adult and youth groups. She met her husband Itzhak in Israel on Kibbutz Maagan Michael during her work study Ulpan program. They spent several years living in Jerusalem and when their two children were small, they moved to Los Angeles where Alicia continued her work in the Jewish community.

Rabbi Magal developed interactive programs and museum tours as Museum Educator at the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles; worked as Program Director for Temple Emanuel, a large Reform synagogue in Beverly Hills; and served as Rabbinic Intern for Kehillat Israel, a large Reconstructionist synagogue in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. She received rabbinical ordination in 2003 from the Aleph Jewish Renewal Rabbinical Program and from the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles. Rabbi Magal served as spiritual leader for Makom Shalom, a Jewish Renewal congregation in Chicago before moving to Sedona in 2006 where she currently serves as rabbi of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Rabbi Alicia Fleissig Magal is the author of the book, “From Miracle to Miracle: A Story of Survival“, a biography of her mother, Nika Kohn Fleissig – the story of a young Jewish woman’s survival during the Holocaust and the impact of her dramatic story on her daughter growing up. You can order a copy of her book here.

Rabbi Magal is available for spiritual counseling, to arrange life cycle ceremonies, and to offer compassionate discussion about end-of-life issues.

To contact Rabbi Magal:

2014 Philanthropist of the Year

This year’s Philanthropist of the Year award recipient is Rabbi Alicia Magal of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley. The Philanthropist of the Year Award recognizes individuals who consistently commit time and financial assistance to worthy community causes and nonprofits. Rabbi Magal offers opportunities to explore cultural traditions and connect with people of diverse faiths in Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Rabbi Magal’s Acceptance Speech

Red Rock Sparks

Torah Commentaries by Rabbi Alicia Magal.  These words of wisdom and insight are offered as Red Rock Sparks – sparks of holiness and joy from the Red Rock Rabbi as she interprets the Torah portion of the week. Rabbi Magal presents her thoughts on each week’s Torah portion. During the service she expands from her notes, and explores new ideas in addition to what she had prepared.

Rabbi Alicia Magal’s Drashot For High Holy Days 5782 (2021-2022)

Red Rock Rabbi

Rabbi Alicia Magal is doing things the Sedona way.

By Kevin Whipps, AZ Jewish Life, January 2012

A few months back, I (the author of this article) drove down to Tucson to talk to Esther Leutenberg, who would become our cover story for the November issue. We talked for an hour about her family, her son and the life she’s led since her son passed. During our conversation, she told me how she celebrates the holidays. “Actually, there’s an amazing temple in Sedona,” she said. “We go there for the holidays. Stay for the week and go for the holidays, it’s amazing. Woman rabbi. And it just sings to me.”

Leutenberg spent the next 10 minutes singing the praises of this mysterious Sedona synagogue, and while we spoke I jotted down a note to myself: “Look up Sedona synagogue with a woman rabbi.”

And that’s how I discovered Rabbi Alicia Magal.

Click here to read the rest of the article.