History is being made in Germany with the ordination of Alina Treiger, the first female rabbi since World War II, who emigrated to Germany from Ukraine. Her ordination also prompts interest in the first woman ordained as a rabbi, Regina Jonas, who died in Auschwitz.

from the Guardian UK:

Alina Treiger to become first female rabbi ordained in Germany since war

Alina Treiger only has to look at the portrait of her predecessor to realise the importance of the role she is about to assume. Regina Jonas made history when she was ordained as Germany’s first female rabbi – but that role ended in her death in Auschwitz.

Now, Treiger is about to become the first female rabbi ordained in the country since before the second world war.

… Treiger is due to take up her rabbinical post in the 300-strong liberal community of Oldenburg, in western Germany, most of whose members hail from the former Soviet Union. She is expected to be the first of a wave of female rabbis, with another group due to finish their studies in 2012.