Get to Know Sofia Zway

I was born in Ecuador to two South African parents, but spent most of my life in South Africa. I spent my formative years as a camper and counselor at  Netzer South Africa, the Reform Zionist Youth Movement (equivalent to NFTY), where I first discovered my love for Jewish Education. A lifelong learner, I have also been an avid Limmudnik at conferences across the world.  I graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2015 with an Honors Degree in Applied Drama and received my MA and Rabbinic ordination from HUC-JIR, Los Angeles, in 2022. I am also a DONA-trained Birth Doula.

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Before coming to Rabbinical school, I worked as the Rabbinic Intern and Youth Development Officer at my spiritual home, Temple Israel in Cape Town. 

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My years at HUC blessed me with many meaningful learning opportunities.  I worked as a Lead Teacher at East End Temple in NYC, interned as a spiritual counselor at Beit T'shuvah, a residential addiction treatment centre and congregation in Los Angeles, served as the student rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Las Cruces, NM, and completed one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where I provided spiritual care to NICU families. After rabbinical school, I spent a year as a Jewish Studies Educator at Milken Community School. Together with my husband, Rabbi Brett Kopin, I currently run Base LA, a home-based Jewish community for those in their 20s and 30s. You can learn more about our events and programs here.

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In my spare time, you can find me binge watching my favourite romcoms, cooking, making bad puns, and exploring the world with Brett.

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