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Loading ...Lesbian rabbi to head Southern Calif. board of rabbis
05.06.2009 6:35pm EDT
(West Hollywood, California) Rabbi Denise L. Eger has been selected president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California. The board is comprised of rabbis of all denominations – Reform, Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist – who work together on interdenominational and interfaith issues.
Eger founded Congregation Kol Ami 17 years ago to serve the diverse community of West Hollywood and has been there ever since.For the past 15 years, she has been involved with the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, most recently serving as vice president. She will serve a two-year term as president.
Eger’s selection as president is a double milestone as she is the first woman and first openly gay or lesbian rabbi to become president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California.
It is a history-making achievement, as some of the denominations do not recognize either women rabbis or gay clergy.
“We would like to serve as a model for social and political cooperation in these divisive political times,” said Eger in a statement.
“Orthodox rabbis were able to work with us against Proposition 8, because upholding the Constitutional separation of government and religion is more important to us all than specific issues involved with marriage equality. We will continue to forge bonds within and beyond the Jewish community on numerous social-justice issues, because our shared responsibilities must take precedence over individual differences.”
She will be formally installed for a two-year term on May 11.
In recent years, the Board of Rabbis of Southern California has worked on food banks, chaplains for local prisons and environmental issues including a novel plan to use modern solar energy to power the ancient eternal lights that burn in every Jewish house of worship.
Eger said that one of her first agenda items will be to address the need for affordable housing in Los Angeles. She notes that religious congregations include political leaders and builders and developers, alongside people who need the housing, offering a unique opportunity to bring all of the constituencies together.
“Rabbi Denise Eger has been an agent of change in our congregation, in our community, and indeed on a national level,” said David Levy, executive vice president of the Congregation Kol Ami Board of Trustees. “We are pleased and proud that she has been given this recognition and that she will have a new, larger platform to continue her good works.”
I love how the Jews can ‘chose’ the type of Judaism they want.
I suppose there is familial pressure to follow a trend, but from what I have read, at some adult point they can choose.
Now supposedly in the Catholic church we cannot do that…
however, as per testimoney before the Judiciay Committee of the Maine House Of Representatives… a canonical and civil lawyer riminded us that actually, Catholic policy instructs each of us to live unto our own conscious dictates.. and there have been times when the laity has changed Catholic dogma from the congregation up,so to speak.
Now as an adult Catholic convert, I have always, lived by my ‘conscious’ accepting only those positive precepts from the original Catholic church.. especially the Golden Rule.
Again, though congratulations to the new Rabbi leader.
So, is she married, you would tell us if she was HET.
Mazel Tov!
Mazel tov to Rabbi Eger.
SteveMD2:
I find your bias against Orthodoxy distasteful. There’s a right-wing and a left-wing to Orthodoxy, like any group of people.
Orthodox Jews, by and large, do not live in another world or in ancient history. (The Charedis do, but no one cares about them anyway.)
Orthodoxy is not homogeneous. There are a lot of Orthodox Jews that support gay rights. Do not generalize or vilify them as a group; they aren’t the problem.
I’m amazed. Not that Jews selected a gay Rabbi – when you’ve been hated, you recognize hate, but that she could work with the stuck in the muds from the Orthodox group, who live in ancient history, as depicted in the movie Trembling before God.
btw – I am Jewish, but trending UU. Our Reform temple has been unwilling to take a leadership role, or ever come to the state house to testify for our gay citizens equality under the law.
And my wife is going to Israel in June. To me, going to a country that lets ultra-orthodox members of Parliment get away with saying “gays are like bird flu” just doesn’t fly.
And my second reason not to go came today. As Maine enacted gay marriage, we can expect a new Prop 8 type battle. And the money I’ve saved is already committed to Equality Maine. Hint – a 747 cattle car seat RT to Israel on El Al, a fine airline, is almost $1100. And the hotel, tours, and some meals is one heck of a lot more.
I hope that all of you will contribute whatever you can to Equality Maine, to fight what will almost certainly be a referendum attempt to overturn this law, with the vote coming this Nov. We cannot be complacent as too many people were after CA.
The enemies of humanity and decency, the right wing power mongers, are still fighting the old creationism battle, with a new term – intelligent design.
Don’t ever let all of us in the good fight relax. Life is a struggle, but a struggle that will help younger and future generations.
Mazel tov to Rabbi Eger! It sounds like she’s got great ideas.