Rabbi Linda Joy Holtzman of the Beth Israel Congregation in Coatesville, Pa., is the first woman to hold such a position in a Conservative synagogue. Holtzman, 27, a recent graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC) in Philadelphia, spoke with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about her reasons for becoming a rabbi.
Holtzman said that Judaism is the source of the most “joy and pleasure” in her life. In Judaism there is a richness and beauty that as a rabbi she is able to share with others, she said. Holtzman called this aspect of the rabbinate “exciting.”
The rabbinate is also a “fine career” for men and women, alike, Holtzman noted. She said that she will be able to combine study with teaching, counseling and community leadership. A person who enjoys working with people of all ages, Holtzman said that a congregation offered her a chance to have a variety of constituents. Holtzman will also serve as the educational director for the 110-member family congregation.
When asked about the difficulties of pioneering womanhood in a field traditionally reserved for men, Holtzman conceded that the congregation “probably took longer” to decide to hire her, but that she anticipated no other problems associated with being a woman.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
