"A spiritual revolution in a torn Israel: The women rabbis rebuilding the connection to Jewish identity"
By Nachman Shai, Ph.D., Rabbi David Ellenson Dean, Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem
In a recent Haaretz article, Dean Nachman Shai, Ph.D., reflects on six newly ordained Reform rabbis from Hebrew Union College’s Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem. He describes them as leaders of a spiritual revolution in a fractured Israel. Drawing on their diverse backgrounds, professions, and life journeys, these rabbis are forging a renewed connection to Jewish spiritual identity, he says, one that is unapologetic and rooted in a commitment to transform personal searching into a public mission. Reflecting on these new rabbis, all of whom are women, and the work of Hebrew Union College, Nachman notes how they are building a new generation of spiritual leadership. “Anyone who believes in the values of equality, pluralism, and an open Judaism is invited to join us and help lead Israel’s new spiritual leadership,” he says.