Sara Charney

Sara Charney is the Immediate Past President of Women of Reform Judaism. Sara has the distinction of being the first Canadian and the first to be installed online as WRJ President in March 2021. One of her proudest accomplishments was chairing the search committee for a new CEO which brought Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch (HUC-JIR ‘15) to that role.

Born and raised in Toronto, ON, Canada, Sara grew up at Beth Tzedec Congregation and was an active member of USY. In the early ‘90s, Sara, her husband and young family, joined Holy Blossom Temple where she became an active volunteer serving as Sisterhood President, as well as on the Temple Board of Directors, the Temple Executive Board, and the Temple Foundation Board, for many years.

While pursuing and after completing her doctorate in Italian Renaissance literature at the University of Toronto (1988), Sara taught Italian language and literature in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto.

Sara is a proud member of the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism where she serves on a wide variety of committees.

Sara also serves on the board of the Lionel Gelber Prize, a literary award for the world’s best non-fiction book on international affairs published in English. The award is presented annually by University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.