LGBTQ+ Rabbis: A History of Ordination and Inclusion
The journey toward the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals within the Jewish rabbinate is a story of gradual institutional change and courageous personal disclosure. For decades, pioneers have challenged traditional norms to ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity are not barriers to spiritual leadership. From the first openly gay rabbis in the 20th century to the recent breakthroughs in Orthodox circles, the landscape of Jewish leadership has evolved significantly.
Key Facts
- Allen Bennett became the first openly gay rabbi in the U.S. in 1978.
- Reconstructionist Rabbinical College was the first seminary to vote for non-discriminatory ordination in 1984.
- Reform Judaism (via the URJ) declared lesbian and gay Jews full and equal members of the community in 1989.
- Conservative Judaism began allowing LGBT clergy ordination and same-sex union blessings in 2006.
- Abby Stein is the first openly transgender woman ordained by an Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic institution.
- Yeshivat Chovevei Torah became the first U.S. Orthodox rabbinical school to ordain an openly gay rabbi in 2025.
The 20th Century: Breaking the Silence
The late 20th century marked the first public declarations of gay identity among ordained rabbis. In 1978, Allen Bennett became the first openly gay rabbi in the United States, followed by Lionel Blue in the United Kingdom in 1980.
Institutional shifts began in 1984 when the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College—the seminary for Reconstructionist Judaism (a movement emphasizing the evolution of Jewish tradition)—voted to ordain rabbis regardless of sexual orientation. This led to the admission of Jane Rachel Litman (bisexual) in 1984 and the ordination of Deborah Brin (lesbian) in 1985. Similarly, London's Leo Baeck College admitted its first openly LGBT students in 1984, ordaining Sheila Shulman and Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah in 1989.
By 1988, the Reform movement saw a milestone when Stacy Offner became the first openly lesbian rabbi hired by a mainstream congregation, Shir Tikvah in Minneapolis. In 1989, the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (the Reform movement's seminary) changed its admissions to allow openly gay and lesbian students, including Leslie Bergson, Peter Kessler, Stephen Roberts, and Burt Schuman. This was supported by the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, which affirmed that all Jews are religiously equal regardless of sexual orientation.
In the Orthodox world, Rabbi Steven Greenberg is noted as the first gay rabbi ordained by an Orthodox seminary (Yeshiva University's RIETS) to come out publicly in 1999, though his status remains disputed by some within the Orthodox community.
The 21st Century: Expanding Identities and Denominations
The 2000s: Transgender Inclusion and Conservative Shifts
The early 2000s saw the inclusion of transgender individuals in the rabbinate. Reuben Zellman was accepted to the Hebrew Union College in 2003 and ordained in 2010, while Elliot Kukla became the first openly transgender person ordained by the same institution in 2006.
The Jewish Renewal Movement (a trans-denominational movement focusing on spiritual revitalization) also expanded its leadership, ordaining Eli Cohen (gay man) in 2005, and Chaya Gusfield and Lori Klein (lesbians) in 2006. That same year, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards for Conservative Judaism adopted majority opinions allowing the ordination of LGBT clergy and the blessing of same-sex unions, leading the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies to admit openly LGBT students.
Other milestones included Toba Spitzer becoming the first openly gay/lesbian head of a U.S. rabbinical association (Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association) in 2007, and Jalda Rebling becoming the first openly lesbian cantor in the Jewish Renewal movement that same year. In 2009, Rabbi Ron Yosef became the first Israeli Orthodox rabbi to come out publicly via television, while Juval Porat became the first person trained as a cantor in Germany since the Holocaust.
The 2010s: Diverse Leadership and Global Reach
The 2010s witnessed a surge in diverse representation. In 2010, Anna Maranta became the first lesbian rabbi privately ordained in Ottawa, Canada. In 2011, Rachel Isaacs became the first openly lesbian rabbi ordained by the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological Seminary and the first to join the Rabbinical Assembly.
Intersectionality grew with the admission of Sandra Lawson to the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2011; she became the world's first openly gay, female, Black rabbi upon her ordination in 2018. In 2012, Emily Aviva Kapor became the first openly transgender female rabbi.
Leadership roles continued to expand: Rabbi Deborah Waxman became the first woman and lesbian to lead a Jewish seminary and congregational union (Reconstructionist Rabbinical College) in 2013, and Rabbi Jason Klein became the first openly gay man to head a national rabbinical association of a major U.S. denomination. In 2015, Rabbi Denise Eger became the first openly gay president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Significant breakthroughs occurred in the Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox sectors. Abby Stein, ordained by an Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic school in 2012, came out as transgender in 2015, making her the only female rabbi ordained by such an institution. In 2019, Daniel Atwood became the first openly gay Orthodox person ordained as a rabbi in Jerusalem by Rabbi Daniel Landes.
The 2020s: Modern Orthodox Milestones
Recent years have seen further integration within Orthodox communities. In 2023, Shua Brick was recognized as the first openly gay rabbi to serve on the clergy of an Orthodox synagogue in the U.S. at Beth Jacob Congregation in Oakland. Most recently, in June 2025, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah became the first Orthodox rabbinical school in the U.S. to ordain an openly gay rabbi, Tadhg Cleary.
Summary of LGBTQ+ Rabbinic Milestones
| Year | Person | Milestone | Movement/Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Allen Bennett | First openly gay rabbi (USA) | General |
| 1984 | Jane Rachel Litman | First openly bisexual student admitted | Reconstructionist |
| 1989 | URJ Policy | Declared LGBT Jews full/equal members | Reform |
| 2006 | Elliot Kukla | First openly transgender person ordained | Reform (HUC-JIR) |
| 2011 | Rachel Isaacs | First openly lesbian rabbi ordained | Conservative (JTS) |
| 2015 | Abby Stein | First transgender woman ordained | Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic |
| 2025 | Tadhg Cleary | First openly gay rabbi ordained | Orthodox (Yeshivat Chovevei Torah) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Jewish movements currently ordain LGBTQ+ rabbis?
Reconstructionist, Jewish Renewal, Reform, and Conservative Judaism all ordain openly LGBTQ+ rabbis. Together, these movements represent approximately 76% of synagogue-belonging Jews in the United States.
Who was the first openly transgender rabbi?
Elliot Kukla was the first openly transgender person ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2006. Emily Aviva Kapor later became the first openly transgender female rabbi in 2012.
Does Orthodox Judaism ordain gay rabbis?
Historically, Orthodox Judaism has not ordained openly LGBTQ+ Jews. However, there have been exceptions and recent shifts, such as the ordination of Daniel Atwood in Jerusalem (2019) and Tadhg Cleary by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in the U.S. (2025).
Who was the first Black LGBTQ+ rabbi?
Sandra Lawson became the first openly gay, female, Black rabbi in the world upon her ordination in 2018 through the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
When did the Reform movement officially accept LGBTQ+ members?
In 1989, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism) announced a national policy declaring lesbian and gay Jews to be full and equal members of the religious community.