A rabbinic leader has quit the Conservative rabbinical seminary in Israel, reportedly over its policies toward gay students.

Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, a former assistant dean at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem, resigned over what is alleged to have been an unfulfilled promise by the school to ordain gay students, The Jerusalem Post reported.

“She was promised two years ago when she entered the position that they will ordain LGBT students,” an unnamed source told the Post. “She learned this was not going to be the case two weeks ago and quit.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Elad-Appelbaum did not respond to requests for comment.

The Schechter Institute, which includes several educational divisions in addition to the rabbinical school, expressed regret over Elad-Appelbaum’s decision to leave.

“Rabbi Elad-Appelbaum contributed enormously to the seminary during her tenure and we wish her every success in her future endeavors,” said Rabbi Hanan Alexander, the chairman of the seminary’s board of trustees.

The place of openly gay rabbis has riven the Conservative movement for years. Following a decision by the movement’s religious law committee, the two Conservative seminaries in the United States moved to admit openly gay students. But the Schechter Institute, the movement’s flagship institution in Israel, thus far has declined to modify its policies barring the admission of gay students.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount