Barbara Marcy Borts is an American-born

Movement for Reform Judaism Reform Judaism (formally the Movement for Reform Judaism and known as Reform Synagogues of Great Britain until 2005) is one of the two World Union for Progressive Judaism–affiliated denominations in the United Kingdom. Reform is relatively ...

rabbi in the United Kingdom. She was one of the first women in Europe to be ordained as a

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

and the first woman to have her own pulpit in a UK Reform Judaism synagogue.

Early life

Barbara Borts was born in Los Angeles in 1953 to Natalie and Abe Borts. After studying at

Leo Baeck College Leo Baeck College is a privately funded rabbinical seminary and centre for the training of teachers in Jewish education. Based now at the Sternberg Centre, East End Road, Finchley, in the London Borough of Barnet, it was founded by Werner van ...

in London, she was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...

as a rabbi in 1981, at the same time as Rabbi

Sybil Sheridan Sybil Ann Sheridan (born 27 September 1953) is a writer and British Reform rabbi. She was chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK at the Movement for Reform Judaism from 2013 to 2015 and was Rabbi at Wimbledon and District Synagogue in south ...

; they were two of the first women rabbis in Europe.

Career

Barbara Borts took up posts as rabbi at Hampstead Reform Synagogue and at Mill Hill Reform Synagogue. From 1984 to 1990 she was rabbi at

Radlett Reform Synagogue Radlett Reform Synagogue is a synagogue in a former church building on Watling Street in Radlett, Hertfordshire, England. It is affiliated to the Movement for Reform Judaism. Its Senior Rabbi, Paul Freedman, was elected in 2015 as Chair of the A ...

, the first woman rabbi to have a pulpit of her own in a UK Reform Judaism synagogue. After spending some time in North America, where she became the first female rabbi in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

and was one of the first religious leaders to conduct

same-sex marriages Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, she worked as part-time rabbi of

Newcastle Reform Synagogue Newcastle Reform Synagogue, also known by its Hebrew name Ner Tamid ("Everlasting Light"), is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism. It is located in Gosforth in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The community was founded in 1963 by children of Europe ...

from 2008 to 2012 and became part-time rabbi of a small Jewish community in

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

, Switzerland. In 2014 she gained a doctorate in Jewish music from the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...

. As of 2017 she is taking services at

Darlington Hebrew Congregation Darlington Hebrew Congregation, a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism, is a Reform Judaism (United Kingdom), Reform Judaism congregation at 15 Bloomfield Road in Darlington, County Durham, in the north-east of England. The congregation, wh ...

, where she is also providing rabbinical advice, and is studying to become a

chazzan A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' ( he, חַזָּן , plural ; Yiddish ''khazn''; Ladino ''Hasan'') is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer Prayer is an in ...

Social justice

In 2010 she and 51 other rabbis called for action to end the killing in the

Congo Congo or The Congo may refer to either of two countries that border the Congo River in central Africa: * Democratic Republic of the Congo, the larger country to the southeast, capital Kinshasa, formerly known as Zaire, sometimes referred to a ...

. In 2013, along with more than 200 Jews, she signed a statement drawn up by ''Jewish Socialist'' magazine, marking the 75th anniversary of

Kristallnacht () or the Night of Broken Glass, also called the November pogrom(s) (german: Novemberpogrome, ), was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's (SA) paramilitary and (SS) paramilitary forces along with some participation from ...

and slamming "the toxic sentiments expressed by many politicians and much of the media against migrants, asylum seekers, Gypsies and Travellers". In December 2014, ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' published a letter signed by her and other UK rabbis, sharing the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...

's concerns about child poverty in Britain.

Selected works

* "The Relationship Between Men and Women from a Jewish Perspective" in '' European Judaism'', vol. 21, no. 1, Summer 1987, p. 3 * "Social Justice is God's Work" in ''

The Jewish Quarterly 'The Jewish Quarterly' is an international journal of Jewish culture and ideas. Primarily a UK-based publication until 2021, the journal is now published by Australian publisher, Morry Schwartz, for a global audience. With four issues released a y ...

'', vols 35–36, 1988, p. 71 * "Lilith" in Sheridan, Sybil (ed.): ''Hear our voice: women rabbis tell their stories'', London,

SCM Press SCM Press is a British publisher of theology, originally linked to the Student Christian Movement. The company was purchased by Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1997. In 2018 ''Church Times'' reported that 100 titles from SCM Press and Canterbury ...

, 1994, p. 98 *"On Trespassing the Boundaries: A Reflection on Men, Women and Jewish Space" in Sheridan, Sybil (ed.): ''Hear our voice: women rabbis tell their stories'', London, SCM Press, 1994, pp. 169–179 * "Repairing the World – a Task for Jews?" in Romain, Jonathan (ed.): ''Renewing The Vision – Rabbis Speak Out On Modern Jewish Issues'', SCM Press, 1996, pp. 192–202 * "Haftarat Korach" in Goldstein, Elyse (ed.): ''The Women's Haftarah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Haftarah Portions, the 5 Megillot & Special Shabbatot'',

Jewish Lights Publishing Jewish Lights Publishing is a publishing company. Founded in 1990 by Stuart Matlins in Woodstock, Vermont, the company publishes works for children and adults that come from a Judaic perspective, yet provide wisdom to readers of any spiritual back ...

, 2004, p. 180 *"Parashat Shelach Lecha": a sermon on what does it mean to 'have faith'? 12 June 2014, London:

''Mouths Filled with Song: British Reform Judaism Through the Lens of Its Music'', Durham theses, University of Durham, 2014, 334 pp
* with Sarah, Elli Tikvah (eds): ''Women Rabbis in the Pulpit – A collection of sermons'', Kulmus Publications, 2015

References

External links

Rabbi Barbara Borts on Purim
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borts, Barbara 1953 births Living people Alumni of Leo Baeck College American Reform rabbis British Reform rabbis People from Los Angeles Reform women rabbis Alumni of Durham University 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American rabbis