Paula Reimers (1947–2023) was an American Conservative 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.Winding road leads rabbi to Valley, David Mekeel, Lebanon Daily News, December 9, 2006 Reimers was one of the first women to be ordained by the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Biography Reimers was educated at Barnard College, (A.B., 1969) M.A., Columbia University, (M.A., 1971) and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (M.A., ordination, 1990). Reimers converted from Christianity to Judaism in 1981.“From Jew-by-choice to rabbi: Women forging new paths,” Aleza Goldsmith, August 3, 2001, Jewish Bulletin of Northern California What It Means to Be Jewish: The Voices of Our Heritage, by Ina Abrams and Ina L. Yalof, St. Martin’s Press, 2002, Page 230Tracy Gordon-Fox, "Rabbi Impressing Her Congregants", Hartford Courant, October 31, 1993.
Reimers was politically active in defense of Palestinian rights.Christians and a Land Called Holy: How We Can Foster Justice, Peace, and Hope, by Charles P. Lutz and Robert O. Smith, 2006, Fortress Press, p. 151 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.“The Silencing of the Left?How the quest for a united front may quash the debate on Israel,” by Julie Gruenbaum Fax, The Jewish Journal, Sept. 26, 2002 Laura Sturza, "Rabbi Paula Reimers and her former...", Burbank Leader, November 2, 2002.
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.Is God male, female, both or neither? How should we phrase our prayers in response to God’s gender? By Ahuva Zache, I-Torah ” God and Gender in Judaism, by Matthew Berke, First Things 64 (June/July 1996): 33-38.
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."dailygotham.com "Religious Intolerance in America" 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)
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