Respected gay rabbi passes away in London aged 77
Friends and colleagues of one of the first openly gay rabbis to be ordained in the UK have paid tribute to her, after she died on Saturday aged 77.
Together with a group of friends, Rabbi Sheila Shulman founded London’s gay and lesbian synagogue, Beit Klal Yisrael (BKY), in 1990. She quickly set about welcoming everyone, especially lesbian and gay Jews.
Among those she called to were “Jewish women who want to work out an independent and challenging relationship to Judaism and being Jewish” and “Jewish men and women who may not think of themselves as formally religious, but who do have Jewish issues, questions and concerns”.
The Brooklyn-born pioneer’s love affair with England began in 1967, when she travelled on a fellowship, and she would later decamp permanently, a world away from her Yiddish-speaking childhood.
An ardent activist for women’s rights, she recently said: “It seems like, in the past 20 years or so, there’s been somebody following me and other feminists around with wet brooms, wiping out all the footsteps behind us.”
This week she was hailed as “an inspirational teacher” by the principal of Leo Baeck College, Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris.
“She brought more people into the rabbinate in the past 20 years than any other person,” said Kahn-Harris of the Brooklyn-born pioneer. “Her sharp intellect will be deeply missed.”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
