Paula Reimers (1947–2023) was an American

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

rabbi. In 2008 she was the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel (Lebanon, Pennsylvania). However by January 2017 she was no longer listed as that Congregation's rabbi. Reimers was one of the first women to be ordained by the Conservative movement’s

Jewish Theological Seminary of America The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) is a Conservative Jewish education organization in New York City, New York. It is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism as well as a hub for academic scholarship in Jewish studies ...

Biography

Reimers was educated at

Barnard College Barnard College is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a grou ...

, (A.B., 1969) M.A.,

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, (M.A., 1971) and the

(M.A., ordination, 1990). Reimers converted from Christianity to Judaism in 1981. Reimers was politically active in defense of Palestinian rights. In 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, Reimers invited several Muslims to join members of Burbank Temple Emanu-El in Burbank, California in their sukkah. In order not to offend the Muslim guests, Israeli flags were removed from among the sukkah decorations, offending some of her congregants. The congregation voted not to renew her contract. By July 2015, Reimers was on the Rabbinical Council of Jewish Voice for Peace. However as of June 2018, she was no longer listed on that Council. Reimers, a feminist, opposed using both male and female pronouns in worship. Reimers spoke out against the Christian missionizing of Ralph Drollinger the former NBA player who now heads Capitol Ministries whose goal is: "Making disciples for Jesus Christ in state legislatures." Reimers further elaborated that: :In my opinion, the 2007 Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast clearly showed state endorsement of one particular religion (Christianity) and one particular sect within that religion (evangelical Protestantism), and even one particular Christian evangelical organization, Capitol Ministries. Many specific indications would lead to this conclusion. Rabbi Reimers died on June 14, 2023.

Publications

* "Feminism, Judaism, and God the Mother" (''Conservative Judaism'', Fall 1993)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reimers, Paula 1947 births 2023 deaths Converts to Conservative Judaism Converts to Judaism from Christianity American Conservative rabbis American feminists American women non-fiction writers Columbia University alumni Barnard College alumni Jewish American non-fiction writers Jewish American feminists Jewish Theological Seminary of America semikhah recipients Jewish women writers Conservative women rabbis 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American rabbis Jewish American activists for Palestinian solidarity American activists for Palestinian solidarity Conservative Jewish feminists