Friday, May 20, marks Rabbi Alicia Magal’s 10th year as head of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.

“The very first time I entered the beautiful synagogue in Sedona back in 2005 when I was applying for the position of rabbi,” Magal said on May 5, Holocaust Remembrance Day. “And then, when I met the congregates, I felt instantly at home. I felt that I already knew the people. I only had to find out their names and get to know their individual stories.”

Magal began to serve as JCSVV’s first full-time rabbi in 2006, forging strong bonds not only with the members and their families but with the residents of the Verde Valley — with whom Magal has shared interfaith study, ceremonies and occasional debate.

Magal succeeded founding Rabbi Albert Plotkin, who had served in Sedona since 1993. Plotkin died in 2010 at age 89.

“I believe that there are many paths to the realization that we are all connected with each other and with the Earth,” Magal said. “I’m only one small voice, but I join with other like-minded beings seeking hope and inter-connectedness in this challenging and often harsh world.

“Our Jewish community, founded in 1990, with the beautiful sanctuary building dedicated in 2004, benefits from a sense of freedom and acceptance in the wider community. People, both Jewish and non-Jewish, come for services on holidays and to celebrate weddings or observe memorials, and appreciate the concerts, lectures and cultural programming offered by the JCSVV.”

Magal added that the resources offered at the JCSVV are an extraordinary asset to local Jews, regardless of their pronounced faith or level of commitment to any one dogma. According to her, Jews are defined by cultural inheritance more than belief.

“In our society, there are many Jews who call themselves secular and do not feel connected to religious observance. Yet, they are proud and delighted that there is a synagogue with a full-time rabbi available in the community at times of need — of celebration, of loss or, God forbid, in times of distress.”

Both tragedy and triumph were at the forefront of Magal’s thoughts on Holocaust Remembrance Day, not least because her own mother is a survivor of one of history’s greatest tragedies.

“My mother, Nika Kohn Fleissig, is a survivor who came to America on Valentine’s Day, 1946 to start a new life,” Magal said. “I was a major part of her new life …. As a rabbi I feel that I am able to give back in some way to all those who lost relatives in the Holocaust by keeping our Jewish tradition alive, and by honoring the grave losses of the past while being able to focus on the joy of Judaism, and to bring the juicy, relevant, life-affirming elements of our rich heritage to the next generation.

“The congregation is honoring me for serving as rabbi here for the past 10 years. I hope to continue to serve for many more years to come, but it is truly an honor to be recognized at this milestone of achievement.”