First year jitters
When she arrived at Amherst, studying religion was not at the top of her priority list. During her first year, Wolf largely stayed away from Hillel (the Jewish student group on campus), instead focusing on fulfilling pre-med requirements with a heavy dose of science courses.
One of her favorite activities that year was watching "A Wedding Story" followed by "A Baby Story" on The Learning Channel with her freshman roommate, Katie Gravel '03. She also spent much of her time reading, although no book surpassed her all-time favorite, "Little Women." Wolf was also shy, pleading with Gravel to try out for the Sabrinas with her so she would not have to do it alone.
Finding her path
While she has fond memories of that first year, much has changed. Wolf became actively involved in Hillel, leading weekly services as the religious coordinator. Her new favorite television show is "The West Wing," which she tapes every week for Pat Brown, the recruiting coordinator for the College.
Wolf has flourished with the Sabrinas, becoming their director, and some of her fondest memories of college are of singing with them. "My favorite memories are just getting ready for a performance in Buckley, laying there on the floor and going completely nuts," she said.
"Sarah likes just staying in and watching movies. She really enjoys being around people who are not afraid to be themselves," said John Shartar '03.
Some things haven't changed since freshman year. Wolf still loves to read, and is constantly receiving new books. "About one third of the time that I go to the mail room with her, she is getting a package that contains a book," said Ali Stahl '03.
During her senior year, Wolf was involved in so many activities on campus that her friends believed she could use more hours in a day. "If Sarah could wish for anything, I think it would be more hours in a day, so she can get all the stuff done that she wants to do. She can probably fill up 48 hours in a day," said Rebecca Louick '04, a fellow member of the Sabrinas.
Time for a change The biggest change of plans Wolf made was deciding to head to rabbinical school rather than medical school next year. She will spend a year in Israel before being placed in either the Los Angeles or the Cincinnati rabbinical seminary institution. Although her friends regret that she will be far away, they are confident she will do well in Israel. "Sarah is not nervous at all about Israel," Louick said. "If you talk to her, it is like she is going to California or something. She is more worried about finding an apartment than anything else. She can stay calm under any circumstance."
All in the family
Although she did not know it at the time, trying to avoid a high school graduation requirement led her to first contemplate becoming a rabbi. "I am kind of embarrassed by this, but to fulfill this vocational course requirement, I decided to do some volunteer work at my temple and it turned out to be a really great experience," Wolf said.
One of the major influences that led her to want to become a rabbi was her family. "Both my parents were religious and really active. My mom was a Baptist, and she converted to Judaism. My father loved attending services, and I think he would have made a great rabbi, too."
A major reason why Wolf wants to be a rabbi is because she feels she may help other people make their lives fulfilling. "If I could live in any time period, it would be the '60s, because I feel like back then, people our age actually felt they could change things," said Wolf.
Her decision to be a rabbi was strengthened by a semester in London during her junior year. Wolf attended University College in London, which boasts one of the largest Jewish studies programs in Europe. "The whole point of college is to figure out what you want to do and who you want to be, and I really found myself in London," said Wolf.
While her friends were initially surprised when she informed them that she wanted to become a rabbi, it made sense to them after they reflected on the idea. "She has always been interested in Judaism, and for me, she has always been this older, wiser person who really made me feel comfortable," said Louick.
She'll lend you her ear
Wolf displays many of the characteristics that a rabbi might need to be successful. For instance, people flock to her for advice. "I am completely fascinated by people's lives. As a result, people who I don't know well will come to me and just pour out their hearts," said Wolf.
Her friends say that she has great people skills that allows her to interact with all sorts. "We have many different people in the Career Center and she blends in so well with all of them. She crosses professional lines so easily, and she is very mature," said Brown.
"Sarah is such an intellectual that she would find a way to end all the world's problems, but leave some problems left so people can learn from them and fix them on their own," said Smith sophomore Rachel Shifrin, a regular attendee of Amherst Hillel's Friday night services.
Wolf's academic and intellectual capabilities have not gone unnoticed by her professors. "Sarah has a rare gift for a close reading of classical texts and a deep appreciation for the tradition, as revealed by her senior honors project on the biblical Book of Ruth and subsequent interpretations," said Professor of Religion Susan Niditch.
Wolf has been described as mature beyond her years, but friends say it is an aura that she gives off that makes other people flock to her. "I am amazed at how cool and calm she is. She is so dynamic, and she has been a role model for me," said Shifrin.
Her dynamic personality and presence elicited a comparison between her and Audrey Hepburn from one of her friends. "I would say she most resembles some really great woman like Eleanor Roosevelt, but Eleanor Roosevelt is too boring, so I would have to go with Audrey Hepburn," said Shartar.
Wolf's listening and storytelling skills also bode well for her future as a rabbi. "She is very personable, and so easy to talk to, and she has such great stories," Shifrin said. "I remember her telling about this car accident that she got into in Northampton. Normally, a car accident is not that interesting, but with Sarah, it became this funny adventure."
Wolf's adventures at the wheel have made her less that excited to drive around Amherst. However, she is flexible. "It's really kind of funny, because she is a self-admittedly horrible driver, but she always offers to drive," said Shartar.
Her flexibility and dependability have made her a real asset to the Career Center, where she started out as a desk worker and now holds the position of recruiting assistant. Her co-workers fondly describe Wolf as a "breath of fresh air" with a definite presence in the office. "I can never remember her being crabby or in a bad mood. In fact, I miss her already. Clone her, so I can have another recruiting assistant," Brown said.
Besides the career center, Wolf has also made a huge impact on Hillel. There are many more people who attend Hillel events than there were before her term as president, and members consider the organization to be much stronger. Wolf also developed a small but devoted following who regularly attended the Friday night services she led.
While her friends predict that she will be leading a congregation in New Mexico in the future, they believe her influence will not be restricted to just serving as a rabbi. "I kind of see her as bringing Judaism and politics together at an executive level like the Matthew McConaughey character in 'Contact,'" said Shartar.