Contributor

Rabbi Naamah Kelman

Dean, Hebrew Union College

Rabbi Naamah Kelman is a descendent of 10 generations of rabbis, becoming the first woman to be ordained by the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem in 1992, where she is currently the Dean.

Born and raised in New York, she has lived in Israel since 1976; where she has worked in community organizing, Jewish education, and the promotion and establishment of Progressive and Pluralistic Judaism for Israelis. Naamah Kelman has been intensely involved in the emerging education system of the Israeli Movement for Progressive (Reform) Judaism. Among the founders of the first Progressive Day school, she has overseen the development of curricular materials, teacher training programs and family education. She has been involved in teacher training and enrichment, the professional development of the Israeli Rabbinic students, and the establishment of "Mazorim" Spiritual Care/Israeli Chaplaincy. She was the Director of the Year in Israel Program for HUC's North American students. She is a board member of Rabbis for Human Rights, MELITZ, and the Tali Education Fund.

Naamah Kelman is deeply engaged in interfaith dialogue and feminist causes. She is married to Dr. Elan Ezrachi and they have three children.