13 Facts About Sandra Lawson

Sandra Lawson previously served as Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Elon University.

Sandra Lawson is a veteran, vegan, sociologist, personal trainer, food activist, weightlifter, author and musician.

Sandra Lawson was born in St Louis, Missouri, and grew up in a military, non-practicing Christian family.

Sandra Lawson holds a master's degree in sociology from Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.

Sandra Lawson went on to serve as an investigative researcher for the Anti-Defamation League and later began rabbinical school at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

Sandra Lawson chose this path after attending an LGBT memorial for Coretta Scott King where she represented the Jewish community.

Sandra Lawson was the first African-American, and the first openly gay African-American accepted into the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which occurred in 2011.

Sandra Lawson was ordained as a rabbi in 2018 and was hired by Elon University that year.

Sandra Lawson served as Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Elon until she began a new position as the first Director of Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism in 2021.

Sandra Lawson has been noted for her efforts to teach Judaism in unique locations.

Sandra Lawson has been noted for her efforts to teach by using social media and live video feeds.

Sandra Lawson has been described as "Snapchat's Top Rabbi" and the Best TikTok Rabbi.

Geoffrey Claussen describes Sandra Lawson as contributing to musar literature, citing her writing about curiosity.