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Priesand Retires

First female rabbi in U.S. retires
after 25 years at N.J. temple.

Jill Huber
New Jersey Jewish News

"I was the only woman in my
class —35 men and me',' she said.
"There were no women on the faculty.
Sometimes I felt the faculty held me to
Tinton Falls, N.J.
a higher standard, so I always tried to
be better and do better than everyone
abbi Sally J. Priesand will
else?'
complete 25 years as reli-
•
She obtained the support of Dr.
gious leader of Monmouth
Nelson Glueck, the institute's presi-
Reform Temple this month and retire
dent, who favored the ordination of
to a new home and career.
women. Eventually, she gained the
But the pioneering rabbi is accus-
support of most of her classmates,
tomed to life's challenges. Nineteen
although some still openly resented
years ago, she was diagnosed with
breast cancer. The cancer struck again her presence.
When encountering
11 years ago. And three
those who opposed her
years ago, she was diag-
ordination, she relied on
nosed with thyroid cancer.
her sense of humor. And,
Although her health is
"if someone argued with
currently good, the bouts
me, I politely thanked
with illness took their toll.
them for their opinion
She was able to continue
and walked away," Rabbi
working during her treat-
Priesand said. "No hyster-
ments for breast cancer,
ics, no tears?'
but the thyroid cancer
She was ordained in
Rabbi Prie sand
treatments were more
June 1972 at HUC-JIR. In
debilitating and forced
addition to undergradu-
her to take a three-month
ate and master's degrees in Hebrew
leave of absence. •
letters, she also received an under-
But, "I became more sensitive and
aware of the needs of others who were graduate degree in English from the
University of Cincinnati.
dealing with health crises':
Finding employment wasn't easy;
Rabbi Priesand's path to the rabbin-
some synagogues refused to inter-
ate began when she was a teenager in
view her, and others merely wanted
Cleveland. When she decided in 1962,
to cash in on her notoriety, she said.
at age 16, that she wanted to become a
rabbi, she received a priceless gift from Eventually, Priesand arrived at Stephen
her parents. "They gave me the courage Wise Free Synagogue in New York City,
where, for seven years, she served as
to dare and to dream:' Priesand said.
assistant rabbi and then as associate
"It was a gift beyond measure."
rabbi. However, she moved on•when it
Although she was later much her-
became obvious that the congregation
alded for her status as the country's
would never allow her, or any woman,
first female rabbi, Priesand had no
to become its senior rabbi.
intention of becoming a trailblazer.
From 1979 to 1981, she was affili-
"I didn't follow this course to become
ated
with Temple Beth El in Elizabeth,
a pioneer or to champion women's
N.J.,
part-time and also was chaplain
rights:' she said. "I simply wanted to
at
Lenox
Hill Hospital in Manhattan.
be a teacher of Judaism."
She
accepted
these two positions
When she began her rabbinical
because
she
was
still unable to find a
studies, there was no welcoming com-
synagogue
willing
to accept a woman
mittee to greet her. "When I arrived at
as
its
only
rabbi.
And
then she came to
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute
Monmouth
Reform
Temple.
of Religion in Cincinnati in 1964, they
"I became aware that the temple
didn't take me very seriously at first','
was
looking for a rabbi and everything
Rabbi Priesand said. "Few people
came
together," Priesand said. "My
at the college paid much attention;
gender
was not an issue; I became
they thought I came to marry a rabbi
their
rabbi,
not their female rabbi:'
rather than be one?'

.

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26

June 1 • 2006