Lena Aronsohn (b. 1870) was reported to be an early figure in the American Jewish community's transition to accept

women rabbis Women rabbis and Torah scholars are Jews, Jewish women who have received formal ''semikhah'' (rabbinic ordination) as rabbis or are recognized for their studies and contributions to Judaism, Jewish religious tradition, respectively. The ordination ...

. Aronsohn was described in the American press as potentially becoming the first woman rabbi. She was a candidate for the rabbinate at the same time as Ray Frank; however, neither Aronshon nor Frank completed their studies or received ordination. Aronsohn was born in 1870 in

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

and her family soon moved to

Marshall, Texas Marshall is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Harrison County, Texas, Harrison County and a cultural and educational center of the Ark-La-Tex region. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the population of ...

. In 1888 Aronsohn moved to

Hot Springs, Arkansas Hot Springs is a resort city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Garland County, Arkansas, Garland County. The city is located in the Ouachita Mountains among the U.S. Interior Highlands, and is set among several natural hot springs ...

where she worked as a music teacher in the local public schools. Aronsohn's mother died a few years later.''The Galveston Daily News'' (Galveston, Texas), 11 May 1893, Thursday. Page 6.''The Times'' (Shreveport, Louisiana), 22 Dec 1892, Thursday. Page 4. In 1892 and 1893, Lena Aronsohn became the subject of several news stories concerning her intention to study to become a rabbi. The American press speculated that it was the death of Aronsohn's mother as well as financial hardship that led to the decision to pursue a rabbinical career. In early 1893, ''

The American Israelite ''The American Israelite'' is an English-language Jewish newspaper published weekly in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1854 as ''The Israelite'' and assuming its present name in 1874, it is the longest-running English-language Jewish newspaper st ...

'' rejected the report as unfounded. Aronsohn was also reported to deliver public lectures on Judaism to various Jewish congregations.''Weekly Town Talk'' (Alexandria, Louisiana), 1 Jul 1893, Sat. Page 2.

Gallery

References

{{Judaism-bio-stub People from Marshall, Texas People from Louisiana People from Hot Springs, Arkansas 1870 births Year of death missing

Gallery

See also

References