Loading AI tools
American rabbi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Denise Eger (born March 14, 1960)[1] is an American Reform rabbi.[4] In March 2015, she became president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in North America; she was the first openly gay person to hold that position.[5][6]
Denise Eger | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Eger in 2010 | |
| Born | March 14, 1960[1] |
| Education |
|
| Website | rabbieger.wordpress.com |
Denise Eger was born in New Kensington, and raised in Memphis.[3]
In 1982, Eger received a bachelor’s degree in religion from the University of Southern California.[2]
In 1985, she received a master’s degree from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion.[2][3]
In 2013, she received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion.[7][8]
In 2023, Eger received a honorary doctorate from Ben Gurion University of the Negev.[9]
In 1988, Eger was ordained by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion at their campus in New York.[2][3]
She worked as the first full-time rabbi at Beth Chayim Chadashim for four years, after which she became the founding rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, which was founded in 1992.[10] She served Congregation Kol Ami for thirty years before retiring in 2023.[11][12]
In 2008, Eger officiated at the wedding of Robin Tyler and Diane Olson.[13]
In 2009, she became the first female and the first openly gay president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California.[14][10] 2009 was also the year she served as president of the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis.[15]
On March 16, 2015, she became president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in North America; she was the first openly gay person to hold that position.[5][6] She held the position until March 20, 2017.[16]
Eger is gay; she came out publicly as gay in 1990 in a story in the Los Angeles Times.[17][4]
In 1994, she and Karen Siteman were married by a rabbi. They remarried in October 2008, at their home in Cheviot Hills.[14] They also had a son, called Benjamin.[10] However, Eger later married Eleanor Steinman. Steinman is also a rabbi.[12]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
