Eilberg, Amy (1954–)

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Eilberg, Amy (1954–)

American rabbi. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct 12, 1954; dau. of Joshua Eilberg (lawyer who served in US House of Representatives) and Gladys Eilberg (social worker); graduated summa cum laude from Brandeis; earned MA in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary, 1978; graduate degree in social work, Smith College, 1984; m. Howard Schwartz.

The 1st woman to be ordained a rabbi within the Conservative branch of Judaism, completed Talmudic studies (1978) but had to wait until 1985 before Conservative rabbis voted to allow women to be ordained; worked at several posts over next decade including that of chaplain at the Methodist Hospital of Indiana in Indianapolis, as a community rabbi at the Jewish Welfare Federation, and at the Jewish Healing Center in San Francisco, California.

See also Women in World History.