Rabbi Barbara Aiello is the first female rabbi in Italy, as well as Italy's first non-Orthodox rabbi. She was born in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
to a family of
Italian Jewish
Italian Jews ( it, Ebrei Italiani, he, יהודים איטלקים ''Yehudim Italkim'') or Roman Jews ( it, Ebrei Romani, he, יהודים רומים ''Yehudim Romim'') can be used in a broad sense to mean all Jews living in or with roots in I ...
origin and was ordained at the
Rabbinical Seminary International
The Rabbinical Seminary International (RSI) is a rabbinical seminary located in New York City. RSI was founded in 1955 by the Hungarian Hasidic Rabbi and Kabbalist Dr. Joseph H. Gelberman, a graduate of City University of New York and Yeshiva U ...
in New York at the age of 51. She also, in 1977, created the "Kids on the Block" puppet troupe. In 2005 she conducted the first
Passover seder
The Passover Seder (; he, סדר פסח , 'Passover order/arrangement'; yi, סדר ) is a ritual feast at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted throughout the world on the eve of the 15th day of Nisan in the Hebrew c ...
in Sicily since 1492, when the Jews were expelled.
She also founded the Italian Jewish Cultural Center of
Calabria
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and Sinagoga Ner Tamid del Sud (which is the first active synagogue in 500 years in Calabria).
“Kids on the Block” was a pioneering effort in helping include children with disabilities into school and society and develop positive attitudes toward children with disabilities. A gifted puppeteer, Aiello created a troupe of children puppets with varying disabilities e.g. using a wheelchair, visually impaired etc. She performed wildly in elementary schools creating a positive experience for all.
See also
*
Timeline of women rabbis
References
External links
Official website
Living people
20th-century American rabbis
20th-century Italian rabbis
21st-century American Jews
21st-century Italian rabbis
American people of Italian-Jewish descent
Neo-Hasidism
Rabbis from Pennsylvania
Religious leaders from Pittsburgh
Women rabbis
1947 births
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