NY Event: Women Rabbis and the Transformation of Jewish Life

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl; screenshot PBS.org
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl; screenshot PBS.org

WHAT: “Breaking Boundaries, Building Communities: Women Rabbis and the Transformation of Jewish Life,” a panel with four pioneering women rabbis discussing the challenges and contributions of women in the rabbinate.

WHO: Rabbis Sally Priesand, the first woman rabbi to be ordained in the United States; Angela Warner Buchdahl, the first Asian-American rabbi and cantor; Dianne Cohler-Esses, the first woman rabbi from the Syrian-American community; and Lila Kagedan, the first Orthodox woman to use the term “rabbi.” Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, Executive Director of the Jewish Women’s Archive, moderates.

WHEN: Sunday, December 4, 2016, from 2 to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Central Synagogue, 652 Lexington Avenue (at 55th St.), New York, NY

WHY: In the past four decades, women rabbis have transformed Jewish life around the world, breaking boundaries on the bima and beyond. At this cultural and political moment, a focus on innovative women’s leadership is more important than ever. In conversation with Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, the four rabbis will reflect on their journeys; their experiences as spiritual leaders, teachers, and communal activists; the creative interplay of tradition and innovation; and their visions for the future.

The event complements and illuminates the newly launched Women Rabbis collection on jwa.org, which captures one of the most significant stories in modern Judaism – that of the women pioneers who entered and transformed the rabbinate – through curated video interviews with women from around the world who have broken the stained glass ceiling.

Registration at jwa.org/events

The event is co-sponsored by Jewish Women’s Archive, Central Synagogue, Romemu, JOFA, Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), and the Women’s Rabbinic Network.