The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA) founded in 1974, is the professional association of rabbis affiliated with

Reconstructionist Judaism Reconstructionist Judaism is a Jewish movement that views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization rather than a religion, based on concepts developed by Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983). The movement originated as a semi-organized stream w ...

. It has approximately 300 members, most of whom are graduates of the

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) is a Jewish seminary in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. It is the only seminary affiliated with Reconstructionist Judaism. It is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Associa ...

in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. The RRA is a member of a number of national coalitions including the

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP; commonly Presidents' Conference) is an American non-profit organization that addresses issues of critical concern to the Jewish community, and the state of Israel in particu ...

. From 1987 to 1989, Rabbi

Joy Levitt Joy Levitt is an American rabbi and from 1987 to 1989 was the first female president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Levitt is also the founder of the Jewish Journey Project, an initiative that attempts to replace individual synag ...

was the first female president of the RRA. In 2007, Rabbi

Toba Spitzer Rabbi Toba Spitzer became the first openly lesbian or gay person chosen to head a rabbinical association in the United States in 2007, when she was elected president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association The Reconstructionist Rabbinical ...

became the first openly

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

or gay person chosen to head a rabbinical association in the United States when she was elected president of the RRA.

Past presidents

* Rabbi David Brusin (RRC '74) (1974-1976) * Rabbi Arnold Rachlis (RRC '75) (1976-1978) * Rabbi Dennis C. Sasso (RRC '74) (1978-1980) * Rabbi Elliot Skiddell (RRC '80) (1980-1983) * Rabbi Steven Sager (RRC '78) (1983-1985) * Rabbi Ira Schiffer (RRC '81) (1985-1987) * Rabbi

(RRC '81) (1987-1989) * Rabbi Sandy Sasso (RRC '74) (1989-1991) * Rabbi Lee Friedlander (RRC '75) (1991-1993) * Rabbi

Ron Aigen Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

(RRC '76) (1993-1995) * Rabbi Michael Cohen (RRC '90) (1995-1996) * Rabbi

Barbara Penzner Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously a ...

(RRC '87) (1996-1999) * Rabbi

Dan Ehrenkrantz Dan Ehrenkrantz is an American Reconstructionist rabbi, currently serving as the outgoing president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. Career Ehrenkrantz graduated magna cum laude with B.A. degree in Relig ...

(RRC '89) )1999-2001) * Rabbi

Nancy Fuchs Kreimer Nancy may refer to: Places France * Nancy, France, a city in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle and formerly the capital of the duchy of Lorraine ** Arrondissement of Nancy, surrounding and including the city of Nancy ...

(RRC '82) (2001-2003) * Rabbi

Amy Small Amy is a female given name, sometimes short for Amanda, Amelia, Amélie, or Amita. In French, the name is spelled ''" Aimée"''. People A–E * Amy Acker (born 1976), American actress * Amy Vera Ackman, also known as Mother Giovanni (1886– ...

(RRC '87) (2003-2005) * Rabbi

Brant Rosen Brant Rosen (born February 22, 1963) is an American rabbi and blogger, known for his pro-Palestinian activism. Biography Rosen is a native of Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and the R ...

(RRC '92) (2005-2007) * Rabbi

(RRC '97) (2007-2009) * Rabbi

Yael Ridberg Jael or Yael ( he, יָעֵל ''Yāʿēl'') is the name of the heroine who delivered Israel from the army of King Jabin of Canaan in the Book of Judges of the Hebrew Bible. After Barak demurred at the behest of the prophetess Deborah, God tur ...

(RRC '97) (2009-2011) * Rabbi

Fredi Cooper Fredi may refer to: * Fredi (Valencian pilota) (born 1957), retired Valencian pilota professional player * Fredi Bobic (born 1971), German football striker * Fredi González (born 1964), Cuban current manager of the Atlanta Braves * Fredi Walker, A ...

(RRC '00) (2011-2013) * Rabbi Jason G. Klein (RRC '02) (2013-2015) * Rabbi Nina H. Mandel (RRC '03) (2015-2017) * Rabbi Elliott Tepperman (RRC '02) (2020)

References

External links

Official web site
* Full tex
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association publications
available online
Berman Jewish Policy Archive @ NYU Wagner

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Reconstructionist Judaism site
Rabbinical organizations Reconstructionist Judaism in the United States {{Jewish-org-stub

Past presidents

See also

References

External links