Helen Levinthal

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Helen Levinthal (1910–1989[1]) was the daughter of , an eminent New York rabbi, and had a significant Jewish education.[2] In 1939 she became the first American woman to complete the entire course of study in a rabbinical school, which she did at the Jewish Institute of Religion in New York.[3] Her thesis was on women's suffrage from the point of view of Jewish law.[4] However, she only received a Master of Hebrew Letters (and a certificate recognizing her accomplishment) upon graduation, rather than a Master of Hebrew Letters and ordination as the men received, since the faculty felt it was not yet time for women's ordination as rabbis.[2][5]

In March 1939, before her graduation, her father invited her to preach in his synagogue, which she did on the topic of "The Jewish Woman Faces a New World."[5] She also spoke that year to a crowd of 900 people at the on the topic of "The Future of Judaism."[6] In 1940 she preached at the High Holidays in Congregation B'nai Shalom in Brooklyn, as was noted in Time Magazine. [7] Shortly afterwards, she became one of three women, the others being Judith Kaplan and Avis Shulman, chosen by the to lecture throughout the country on Jewish subjects.[5]

In 1988 the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion presented her with a "special certificate of recognition."[5] She died of a brain tumor in 1989.[8] Her obituary in the New York Times called her "a pioneer in Jewish education for women."[8]

In 1991 the Helen Levinthal Lyons Memorial Scholarship was established in her honor at the New Rochelle Campership Fund, by her former husband Lester Lyons.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ Stange, M.Z.; Oyster, C.K.; Sloan, J.E. (2011). Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World. SAGE Publications. ISBN 9781412976855.
  2. ^ a b Keller, R.S.; Ruether, R.R.; Cantlon, M. (2006). Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America: Native American creation stories. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253346872.
  3. ^ "– Hadassah Young Women". hadassah.org. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Rabbis in the United States – Jewish Women's Archive". jwa.org. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d Nadell, P.S. (1999). Women Who Would Be Rabbis: A History of Women's Ordination 1889-1985. Beacon Press. ISBN 9780807036495.
  6. ^ "CROWD HEARS TALK BY MISS LEVINTHAL". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  7. ^ http://time-demo.newscred.com/article/fca9758cc637ebb7b9be6f6961d8e601.html/edit[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b "Helen Lyons, 79, Dies; Jewish Studies Leader - New York Times". nytimes.com. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Donor-Special". campership.org. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
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