Proclamation in Honor of Rabbi Amy Eilberg

Whereas having received a Master’s Degree in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary Rabbi Amy Eilberg taught at Midreshet Yerushalayim, the egalitarian yeshiva program run by JTS in Israel and following the tabling of a resolution on the ordination of women by the Rabbinical Assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards in 1979, enrolled in a social work program, receiving a Master of Social Work degree in 1984 and

Whereas following the 1983 vote to admit women to the Rabbinical School of JTS Rabbi Eilberg  began attending classes in the Fall of 1984, was ordained in May 1985 and in 1986 became the first woman appointed to serve on the RA’s Committee on Jewish law and Standards and

Whereas the movement towards egalitarianism in the Conservative movement reached an historic high point with the ordination of Amy Eilberg as a Conservative Rabbi by The Jewish Theological Seminary on May 12, 1985 and

Whereas Rabbi Eilberg has had a remarkable career as an assistant rabbi at Har Zion Temple in Philadelphia and then for many years in pastoral care, hospice and spiritual direction, including as a partner in the founding of the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center in San Francisco where she devoted herself  to offering spiritual care to those dealing with illness, death, and loss and

Whereas Rabbi Eilberg is now active in interfaith dialogue as well as peace and reconciliation work; has taught the art of listening in venues throughout the country; serves as co-chair of the Civility Initiative of the Jewish Council on Public Affairs; serves on the adjunct faculty of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and as a visiting professor of theology at St. Catherine University; has directed interfaith dialogue programs at the University of St. Thomas’s Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning; and has recently published From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom on the Pursuit of Peace, a book on Judaism and peacemaking and  

Whereas Rabbi Eilberg has been a pioneer, a role model for the more than 300 Conservative women rabbis who have come after her, a teacher and a powerful source of tikkun olam in a world that desperately needs it and

Whereas the Conservative movement has made great strides in the last three decades in terms of women as both professional and lay leaders and

Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly has benefitted from the involvement of women in leadership positions but much remains to be done with respect to employment opportunities for women members of the RA and economic parity with male colleagues.   

Therefore be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly warmly congratulates Rabbi Amy Eilberg for leading the way for women as rabbis in the Conservative movement and for her many accomplishments during an outstanding career and

Be it further resolved that we take great pride in having named her the 2014 Joint Campaign Honoree and look forward to celebrating the 30th anniversary of her ordination in 2015 and  

Be it further resolved that in honor of the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women as Conservative rabbis we renew our commitment to ensuring that the Jewish people receive the maximum benefit from the full incorporation of women into its leadership within the Rabbinical Assembly and the Conservative Movement, continuing to build on the accomplishments of 1984 and 1985.