LBCAlum Adar 1 5776/February 2016 College LBC Alum February 2016/Adar 1 5776

Welcome to LBCAlum

Welcome to the first LBCAlum of 2016. Huge thanks to Nicole Taub, who worked on LBCAlum from the start but who has now moved on, and my gratude to Rhona Lesner who has stepped in to help me with this issue. The mix of arcles this me is somewhat eclecc and I hope you find them interesng. Please think about contribung something of your own to a future issue; let us know if you’ve been reading a parcularly compelling book, and especially if there is any item of Personalia that you would like to share. Contribuons should be sent to [email protected] Dr Charles Middleburgh, Dean

Inside this issue: Pages

WOMEN IN THE PULPIT 2-3 RABBI ELLI TIKVAH SARAH WITH RABBI DR

CONTRIBUTIONS OF PROGRESSIVE IN AUSTRALIA 3-4 RABBI FRED MORGAN

GOD IS IN A COFFEE CUP 5-6 RABBI PAULINE BEBE

THOUGHTS ON SPIRITUALITY AND HOSPICE CARE 6-7 RABBI DR CHAIM JOSEPH WENDER

A RABBI GOES TO AUSCHWITZ 7-11 RABBI WALTER ROTHSCHILD

EUROPEAN JUDAISM 11

WORDS FROM THE PAST 12 RABBI z”l

ERNST LEITZ OF WETZLAR: HELPING THE PERSECUTED 13-14 RABBI FRANK DABBA SMITH

PERSONALIA 15

“I’VE BEEN READING THIS BOOK…..” 15

LBCAlum Adar 1 5776/February 2016 1

LBCAlum Adar 1 5776/February 2016 Women Rabbis in the Pulpit. A Collection of Sermons Edited by Rabbi Dr Barbara Borts and Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah

that they wanted to contribute and explain why they chose that parcular one. The reasons are interesng and varied, as are the sermons. The sermons collected were delivered on a variety of different occasions, several on Shabbat , some on Contributors to Women Rabbis in the Pulpit fesvals, and the greatest at the book launch number during the yamim nora’im , the Women Rabbis in the Pulpit - A collecon ‘awed days’. The authors employ Biblical of sermons was launched at Leo Baeck and rabbinic sources, yes, but also poetry, College on 7 December 2015 in prose, newspaper arcles, web pages, and celebraon of Rabbi Dr , the popular music, among other things, first woman rabbi to be ordained by the demonstrang how to fuse Jewish teaching college. The event, hosted by LBC with the other materials that are important Principal, Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris, in the lives of their congregaons. The aracted a large audience, and included sermons also display a wide variety of styles many of the 46 women rabbis who and approaches - scholarly, didacc, poec, contributed sermons to the book. spiritual, personal - expressing a variety of individual rabbinic voices. Celebrang the The impetus for Women Rabbis in the women’s rabbinate, the sermons Pulpit came from a (personal) challenge demonstrate a plurality of perspecves and to Barbara at Bet Debora Jewish Feminist experiences. Conference, which was held in in April 2015. When discussing what else we The themes explored are equally diverse. To could do to further the study of women reflect this diversity, we decided to arrange in the rabbinate, one of the delegates the sermons themacally under headings, suggested that Barbara could, among and chose the following: Living a Jewish other things, publish a collecon of her Life; Being Human; God and Spirituality; sermons. Responses and Responsibility to the World; Feminism and Gender; Life and Loss. However, since 2015 marked the 80 th anniversary of the ordinaon of the first Sadly, two of the 55 women ordained since woman Rabbi, , in 1975 are no longer alive. The book on 27 December 1935, and the 40 th of the concludes with tributes to , ordinaon of Jackie Tabick, the first post- z”l , and Erlene Wahlhaus, z”l , who received war female rabbi in Europe, Barbara s’mikhah in 1989 and 1999, respecvely. thought the more immediate priority was Women in the rabbinate have made a to produce a publicaon to celebrate difference. It is in hearing the prayers of our these important anniversaries. What tradion being led by women rabbis that beer way to do this than by collecng changes such as non-gendered language sermons from as many colleagues as and the inclusion of women’s poems, possible and so create a testament to prayers and songs are slowly becoming the women’s involvement in the ‘pulpit.’ norm in progressive communies. It is Barbara approached Elli and the project because of women rabbis’ embodied took off. experiences as women that various hitherto We asked women to choose the sermon

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LBCAlum Adar 1 5776/February 2016 unacknowledged life cycle and life events need these insights and iniaves in order for have been commemorated or celebrated. It is Judaism to thrive and remain true to its through women’s scholarship that texts have mission in the world. In saying this, I am not been re-examined and read in the light of the suggesng that all should affiliate to full partnership of women in Jewish life. Progressive or idenfy with Progressive forms of Judaism. On the As each year passes, women rabbis contrary, I believe that diversity is central to throughout the Jewish world are, together, the Divine purpose, within Judaism as well as extending the great project of transforming beyond it. Like Rabbi Sacks, I feel that Judaism into an inclusive inheritance. With sameness can only be brought about through the publicaon of Women Rabbis In the a totalitarian form of authority, and that is Pulpit: A Collecon of Sermons, to mark the not a good thing. But unlike Rabbi Sacks, I 40 th anniversary of the ordinaon of Jackie hold that it is important to acknowledge what Tabick, the first woman Rabbi in Britain and is good in other expressions of Judaism, even Europe, and the 80 th anniversary of the those with which we do not agree. This is the ordinaon of Regina Jonas, the first woman way to achieve the “dignity of difference” Rabbi in history, another milestone has been that is the leitmov of Rabbi Sacks’s book. reached. Progressive Judaism has made significant Contributions of Progressive Judaism in contribuons to Judaism in many crucial Australia areas. I am going to concentrate on two of Rabbi Fred Morgan them in this arcle. The first of these is women’s rights. Sensivity towards women’s

roles came about as an aspect of a more Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his book The Dignity general awareness of human rights that of Difference , makes a superb case for began aer the First World War but really learning to live with diversity as the ulmate developed aer the Second World War in purpose of the Divine creaon. He applies America and other liberal democrac this argument to the plurality of religions but sociees, including Australia. As a result of he stops short of applying it to the mulple this growing awareness, educaon for girls expressions of faith within Judaism itself. leading to a bat mitzvah ceremony in parallel Rabbi Sacks speaks as a liberal when it comes with the tradional pracce of bar mitzvah to “inter-religious” understanding but his was introduced in the non-Orthodox liberal atude fails when it comes to “intra- movements. Women took on lay leadership religious” understanding. roles in synagogues. In the 1970s the major As a Progressive Jew I celebrate the plurality I non-Orthodox rabbinical seminaries began find within Judaism. This is my personal ordaining women as