History is (re)made in Madrid

First rabbinical ordinations in Spain since 1492 -- Andres Boaz Mosquera is ordained..

Early in June of this year, I was asked by the management team of the EUPJ if I would represent them at an extraordinary event in Madrid, the first rabbinical ordinations in Spain since the expulsion of Jews in 1492. The weather was very promising and there was an opportunity to take a few extra days of vacation in Madrid with Peter in advance of the ordinations, so it was easy to say yes.

What I didn’t know at the time. was that a close friend and longtime member of IJC was one of the three new rabbis. Andrés Boaz Mosquera, Yael Cobano – the first woman rabbi in Madrid – and Hanán Grau recently completed their studies at the Instituto Rabinico in Buenos Aeres, a relatively new rabbinical seminary focused on training rabbis from the region.

The seminary is extraordinary in itself, being the first to offer a hybrid form of teaching that is endorsed by the World Union of Progressive Judaism. To paraphrase their website: “The curriculum integrates a variety of learning modalities, including regional meetings, face-to-face courses, distance study and fieldwork. Intensive study seminars are held every year requiring physical attendance. The educational team is composed of reform rabbis from the region and guests from different rabbinical and academic fields of the Jewish world.” By exception, the three new rabbis are Spanish born, hence the ordination in Spain as opposed to Argentina.

Brian with WUPJ President Rabbi Sergio Berman

Andrés has been a member of IJC for close to twenty years and has served the community in various ways, including many years as chair of the Religious Affairs Committee. As part of his rabbinical training he also led services both at IJC and for the community in SHAPE. It was a real pleasure to participate in this historical and emotion-filled ordination ceremony, especially as each candidate shared a word of Torah and a description of their journey to the rabbinate. And it was a privilege to witness this moment of joy for Andrés and his colleagues, representing both IJC and the EUPJ.