Moshe Zemer (born Melvin Ray Zager, January 1, 1932-November 3, 2011) was a Reform Rabbi in Israel between 1963-2011. He was the co-founder of Jewish Reform institutions in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

and served in key positions in them, including as chair of MARAM (The Council of Progressive Rabbis), Board member of the

Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ; he, התנועה הרפורמית – יהדות מתקדמת בישראל) is the organizational branch of Progressive Judaism in Israel, and a member organization of the World Union ...

, Board member of the Union for Progressive Rabbis in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, and a senior lecturer of Jewish Studies at the Hebrew Union College in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

Biography

Rabbi Dr. Moshe Zemer was born in Kansas City,

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

on January 1, 1932. Zemer grew up in

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. When he was eight years old, his mother died, and his father placed him for adoption with his brother and sister-in-law, Shmuel and Sarah (Riklin) Zeger in Omaha,

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

, where he grew up and was educated. In 1945, he moved with his family to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, where his family joined Temple Beth Shalom, and where Zemer began religious studies. In 1953, Zemer received his BA in Psychology from

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

. In 1960, he was ordained as a Rabbi at the Hebrew Union College (HUC) – Jewish Institute of Religion in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, where he also received a doctorate in Jewish Studies. Following his ordination, he studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1960 and 1961. Following his studies, Zemer became Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Baltimore, in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, where he served as Rabbi until 1963. In 1963 Zemer made Aliyah and became the Rabbi of Congregation "Kehilat Ha'Sharon" in

Kfar Shmaryahu Kfar Shmaryahu ( he, כְּפַר שְׁמַרְיָהוּ, ar, كفار شمرياهو) is a local council in Israel, within the Tel Aviv District. History Kfar Shmaryahu was founded in May 1937, during the Fifth Aliyah. The founding members ...

. In 1964 Zemer established Congregation "Emet Ve'Anava" in

Ramat Gan Ramat Gan ( he, רָמַת גַּן or , ) is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel, located east of the municipality of Tel Aviv and part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. It is home to one of the world's major diamond exchanges, and man ...

, and in 1968 he established Congregation Kedem in Tel Aviv, which he headed for the following twenty years. Zemer also served on the

Board, on the Board of CCCR (

Central Conference of American Rabbis The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada. The CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world. I ...

), and MARAM - (the Council of Progressive Rabbis in Israel). He also served as a senior lecturer of Halachic studies at the HUC in Jerusalem. In 1993 Zemer wrote the book "Sane Judaism," in which he laid out his vision of progressive Jewish law (Halachah), which gives current answers to the needs of individuals and society in modern times. In 2004 Zemer was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the Hebrew Union College (HUC) in

. The Moshe Zemer award was established by MARAM, and is awarded to a rabbi or rabbinical student who has researched and developed questions and answers on a current event in

. Zemer died on November 3, 2011 and was buried in Kibbutz

Kiryat Anavim Kiryat Anavim ( he, קִרְיַת עֲנָבִים, ''lit.'' City of Grapes) is a kibbutz in the Judean Hills of Israel. It was the first kibbutz established in the Judean Hills. It is located west of Jerusalem, and falls under the jurisdiction o ...

Bibliography

* Walter Jacob and Moshe Zemer. The environment in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. New York: Berghahn Books, 2003. . * Re-examining progressive Halakhah. Studies in progressive halakhah. New York: Berghahn Books, 2002. . *

Gender issues Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most cultures u ...

in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. New York: Berghahn Books, 2001. . * Crime and punishment in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. . 6 New York: Berghahn Books, 1999. . * Walter Jacob, Moshe Zemer and Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah. Marriage and its obstacles in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. 8, Pittsburgh ; Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1999. . * Aging and the aged in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. 7, Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah ; Rodef Shalom Press, 1998. . * Israel and the Diaspora in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. 6, Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah, Rodef Shalom Press, 1997. . * Death and euthanasia in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah v. 4. Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah : Rodef Shalom Press, 1995. (pbk.). * The fetus and fertility : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. 5, Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah : Rodef Shalom Press, 1995. . *

Conversion Conversion or convert may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman'' * "Conversion" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of the television series * "The Conversion" ...

to Judaism in Jewish law : essays and responsa. Studies in progressive halakhah. 3, Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1994. . * Progressive halakhah : essence and application. Studies in progressive halakhah. 1, Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1991. . * Walter Jacob, Moshe Zemer, Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah and Central Conference of American Rabbis. Rabbinic-lay relations in Jewish law. Studies in progressive halakhah. 2, Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1993. . * Moshe Zemer. Evolving halakhah : a progressive approach to traditional Jewish law. Woodstock, Vt.: Jewish Lights Pub., 1999. . ::Review by Peter Haas in Shofa

* Jüdisches Religionsgesetz heute : progressive Halacha. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener, 1999. . * Moshe Zemer and Haim Hermann Cohn. Halakhah shefuyah. Tel Aviv: Devir, 1993. {{DEFAULTSORT:Zemer, Moshe Israeli Reform rabbis 2011 deaths 1932 births People from Kansas City, Missouri Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni University of California, Los Angeles alumni Rabbis from Baltimore American Reform rabbis Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion alumni American emigrants to Israel