RABBI REGINA JONAS

Rabbi Regina Jonas: Hero of the Holocaust

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The world is at a crossroads. As the first generation of Shoah survivors transition from this world into the next, a memory gap is starting to emerge. Generations Z and Alpha, including their older contemporaries-Millennials, are growing up without abasic understanding of what transpired in the Holocaust less than a hundred years ago.According to a recent article published by NBC News, "Nearly one in two millennials asked could not name a single extermination camp, where millions of Jews weresystemically killed, worked to death and experimented on by Nazi doctors. Many today also underestimated the scale of the Holocaust, and 70% of American adultsagreed that fewer people seem to care about it today than in the past." The fear is that ignorance of such a major atrocity as the Shoah will provide ripe breeding grounds for ultranationalism, racism, and nativism. The U.S.-based Anti Defamation League concluded a study in November of2019 which discovered that "one in four Europeans harbor pernici us and pervasive attitudes toward Jews. In addition, antisemitic attacksworldwide rose 13% in 2018 from the previous year, with the highest number ofincidents reported in major Western democracies including the United States, France,Britain, and Germany."

The need for educational reform in Holocaust Studies is critical to counteracting the trends currently being seen throughout the world. More must be learned about the Shoah than rudimentary statistics, names, and places. To this end, it is important to highlight key figures whose lives were cut short by the ruthless machinations of the Third Reich. Rabbi Regina Jonas, the first woman to be ordained into the rabbinate in Berlin, Germany during 1935, offers a life worthy of public awareness and further scholastic examination. Through her ordination treatise written in 1930, it becomes clear that she is a force advocating for social change through arguments rooted in

educational reform (particularly for women to have access to religious study and vocation), as well as equipping individuals with the right to self-determination. In a field that has predominantly been defined by male researchers and survivors, Holocaust Studies are being restructured by feminist scholars who have shown that, "when one introduces gender as an analytic tool, culturally dominant and male ways of categorizing what is historically important and what is not is challenged. This challenge has indeed led to unexpected and important new historical findingson women and the Holocaust, even though this scholarship was, at times, considered controversial." The writings and life of Rabbi Regina Jonas function as a prophetic call to communal transformation by challenging the status quo.

The Halachic treatise written by Rabbi Jonas in 1930 serves as a platform for educational reform within Judaism. Having been denied access to the rabbinical profession, women's opportunity for advanced religious studies and ordination were limited. Jonas sought to dismantle the operating prejudice at the time through examination of biblical narratives, Talmudic literature, and Halakha (i.e.- the totality of Jewish laws and ordinances evolving since the first century of the common era). This, combined with logical arguments, serve as the backbone of Jonas's literary call for change that she was hoping to create within her faith tradition. While not having succeeded immediately upon completing this text, Jonas was able to overcome opposition five years later to become the first woman rabbi. The treatise is written in a combination of German and Hebrew, and in 2004, has been translated into English by a German scholar named Rabbi Elisa Klapheck. Thanks to her dedication to bring Regina Jonas's life into greater public awareness, the following analysis is able to be undertaken.

Rabbi Jonas believes women have the right to self determination. She writes: "We see that, according to the Tosafot, the nonfulfillment of time-bound commandments is relative, based on whether women absolutely want to fulfillthem. Such a lenient interpretation would not have been permissible were there exista prohibition in the strictest sense on this point, or principal opposition to her religious activity." The issue is not one of prohibition, but rather of preference and prejudice. On the one hand, it is clear that no outright refusal exists for women to function as religious teachers or clergy. If this were the case, she argues, Judaism would not have a history of women serving in high, priestly offices, but it does. The Judaic faith includes women like Deborah, who serve as a Judge over Israel. And, there are numerous women of pious leadership portrayed in the texts of old: Sarah, Ruth, Esther, Miriam, and a

host of others. This shows there is a foundation for women in serving the communityat the highest levels.

The key in this initial movement of Jonas's work stems from her argumentthat preference is far different than prohibition. She acknowledges that society may prefer to have men in positions of influence and education, but this is simply a personal appeal. It is not the same as outlawing women from doing something that they may be called to perform out of love for the divine. Jonas declares: "Aside from prejudice and unfamiliarity, there is almost nothing halachically opposed to the woman taking on the rabbinical role. And, may it not be forgotten, in all loyalty and love for our scripture and its holy regulations, that the spirit of freedom speaks through the texts. It must be this spirit that speaks in favor of the woman." She supports this elsewhere in her thesis when she writes: "It can only be a question of emotional reactions, for those who cannot bear to have a woman work rabbinicallyand on the pulpit; but the force of prejudice related to feelings should not dominate over understanding and logical argumentation." Unfortunately, society has often confused preferences with prohibitions, and initiated barriers based upon this desired manner of living. The reality is that people must accept that individuals are gifted for a productive life, and this distribution of talents is often not defined solely according to gender norms. Discernment and training are required to equip peoplefor roles to which their hearts are attuned. This comes from a prophetic spirit who feels compelled to act for the sake of her people. She adds: "I must fight for G-d." This reveals the profound depth from which her calling to ordained ministry begins. It is a driving spiritual force that calls her to challenge the norms of her day.

While the division of labor between men and women works in ages past, it fails to be relevant at a time when the mixture of men and women is far more frequenttoday. She argues: "So what is the custom of 'the people?' They need the womanand call her, because she must come and help. The needs of the day require that she in fact assume a public role. Just as it is with other professions that she has had to take on out of necessity, so do today's conditions in the meantime require her to be a rabbi." Women occupy positions of authority throughout secular society: judges, politicians, doctors, scientists, military officers, and more. No longer are womensegregated from society through the division formed between public and private.

Domestic life is still a viable option for women, but not all are called nor even have the opportunity to become a wife and mother. What then does society do with unmarried women who are untethered to a growing household? The reality is that

Jonas's argument works not only for unmarried women, but all women-irrespective of their domestic situation. Women have abilities that would greatly benefit the Judaiccommunity, as: "One should not underestimate, with regard to this procedure in religious life, particularly with what precedes the delivery of the get, that women havea special ability to overcome some of the difficulties that arise through the ill of onemember of a couple, or even to prevent the divorce." These innate peculiarities, whichare feminine in their orientation, provide a pathway for a ministry of engagement. People need to be tended to in the manner they present themselves to rabbinical leaders. It is through a mingling of both the masculine and the feminine that the fullspectrum of our creation is realized and appreciated. The Lord created us man and woman-one needs the other. Why then should ministry refuse to embrace the fullness

demonstrated across the two sexes? Are not both men.and women created and declared 'good'?

Jonas acknowledges a division of roles exists for men and women within the evolving Talmudic tradition. Rather than attack the religious texts which serve as the framework for the rabbinical office, she argues that the circumstances of the modem era do not match the constructs of ancient society. She declared, "G-d created the world with two sexes, and the world cannot continue to be supported by only one sex. In her private circle the woman was always a servant of G-d but today's times demand that she also serves in public life." The ancient days of segregating women from men is simply not the norm of modem times. It used to be a special circumstance for men to encounter women outside of family life, but today there are recurring interactions between the two sexes. Rabbi Jonas raised this divergence of daily circumstance at the end of her treatise, where she writes: "For the behavior of those days, when a woman so rarely came out into public, precautionary rules were used (zniut). Today, as already often stressed, this kind of zniut with these precautionary measures can be abandoned, for the woman in today's society and in public life regularly must work together with men." Men today are accustomed to heterosexual relationships on a level that was not necessary back in ancient times. To this end, circumstances have changed requiring the laws and ordinances of the Judaic faith to change with them.

After all, the Halakah are an ever-evolving set of precepts that must respond to the needs of the present day. Evolution leads to punctuated change, and change works to preserve life-not destroy it.

Outside of her written work, Jonas is identified by those she ministered to as one who understood the novelty of the

Third Reich. In part one of her book, Klapheck writes: "Jonas remained true to her belief that the Jewish people have a special God-given, ethical role in history, even as the Nazi regime took hold." In fact, Jonas is attributed as having taught at Hermsdorf Synagogue in December 1937 that, "It is neither about victory or defeat in the face of the evil inclination (of the Nazi party), but rather the struggle for good. And Jews, in particular, are chosen to fight for the good, in order to bring it to the people. Jews are the people of religion." It is important for women to participate in learning and the advancement of knowledge because there is, "an urgent necessity to make the incomprehensible comprehensible, in stunningly clear description." Regina Jonas understood that, "the Jewish life had become distant from its direct relationship with the Halacha, due to changed life circumstances."

Back in the day, if women had a question that needed to be answered, theycould inquire of their well-informed husbands Jonas argues. This is not, however,the way it is in 1930s Europe. Men have collectively strayed from their studies of the Torah and ancient tradition, such that they no longer function as the educated sex over and above the women in their family.

Regina Jonas advances her belief that ignorance of women is the natural outgrowth oftheir lack of access to religious studies. She challenges men's perceived intellectual superiority when she asks: "Are all men constantly mindful of their high responsibilities?! In reality, female youth are taught Talmud, for example, in theconservative Religious School on Annenstrasse. And are not so many girls instructed inthis discipline privately by observant teachers?! Each according to his abilities; one will be able to achieve more, another less." It is crucial then that . women utilize their giftsfor the sake of productivity within their community whenever they learn out of pure love(ahava tehorah).

Regina Jonas believes that education is the answer for

women who have been denied access to advanced circles of learning. She squarely places the guilt around women's historical ignorance with men, not her female ancestors. She writes: "Is it any wonder, given that women were kept so long fromfree exercise of their intellectual powers, that her lack of

education resulted in her being less able than the man to follow a subject deeply when confronted with it?" She critiques the

unfair bias stemming from men's ridicule of women's "limited intellectual capabilities," as revealed in Talmudic texts (see, for example, BT Sotah 21b, Tosafot "Ke'ilu"). In a move to illustrate that ignorance is home in either sex, she declares: "A consideration of the intellectual features of the male sex

unfortunately reveals sometimes that he, too, has a 'poor intellect,' estranged from the Bible and Talmud, due to abandonment of holy study in favor of worldly attractions. Much of what was valuable to him now seems laughable and is all the worse to find this in a man." The reason for this stems from man's appointment byGod to serve as the special guardian of the Torah. If, however, men do not due their Talmudic and biblical duty, it is up to women to change course and pick up the slack of their male counterparts. Not only is this good practice, it is necessary for the ongoing survival of the Jewish faith. Jonas exclaims: "There is just one single remedy for all these deficits; that 'cling' to the woman, and that is intellectual education; because the powers available to humans will atrophy if not used!" Jonas paves the way for women to pursue advanced religious education and more through depiction of the need for more Jewish theological experts. If men were not going to fulfill their obligations as prescribed in the Halakha, then women will.

As mentioned previously, the positive examples of women serving in religious leadership roles are many in the Hebrew Bible. One key person of interest for Jonas is Deborah in the Book of Judges. Regina writes: "In principle it is immaterial who turned this Deborah into a judge; the fact is simply that a woman practiced as a judge, and not to the detriment of the community ...If there had been such a great need for the women as judge and witness as there was a need for her as teacher and

educator, then perhaps life might have brought with it, that." The ordination thesis is peppered throughout with positive examples of women serving in high religious offices to show that when a need occurred, it was filled by the presence of a talented and gifted woman. If the ancient past, which was far more restrictive than the present, allowed for women to fill vacancies within the Jewish community, then the prejudicial preferences for a man no longer apply to the situation. Women undoubtedly have proven themselves in the numerous biblical examples of the past, as well as in nearly every cross-section of secular society to date.

What is important is filling the position of the vacant rabbinical offices, because without them, necessary social justice work will not be undertaken.

Jonas highlights the critical importance of serving people with mental illness in her remarks given to the staff of the Psychohygienisches Institut [Mental Health Institute]. In a 1991 conversation between Viktor Frankl and Katharina von Kellenbach, Frankl remarks on Jonas's lecture. He says, "Jonas reminded us that in the Jewish tradition, the mentally handicapped, the senile, and the degenerate's human dignity remains completely intact. By way of analogy, she told the story

of Exodus when the people of Israel wandered through the desert together with the old and sick. Carrying the Torah and carrying those who cannot walk by themselves are equivalent. The weak must be treated with the same dignity as members of the community." This dedication to the less fortunate was not idealistic chatter designed solely for intellectual pontification. It was the hallmark of her work in Theresienstadt. Emily Silverman, a visiting scholar at the Graduate TheologicalUnion in Berkeley, California, writes: "When the Jews of Theresienstadt took careof the most helpless of the community of Israel, they were literally bringing God's divine presence with them into the concentration camp. This was a very powerful theology of resistance, one which Rabbi Jonas did routinely in the women's quarters." Despite not being recognized by the "Head Rabbi" in the Czechoslovakian ghetto, Jonas undertook her ministry with great haste. She knew people were hurting and in need of the comfort that comes uniquely from the rabbinical office. Just as no one questions who it was that validated Deborah as Judge over Israel, the women did not question Jonas's rabbinical status given theproficiency through which she carried out the care of her people. They conferredupon her the status of the office. It is this acceptance by the community that fuels Jonas's ministry and life while at Theresienstadt.

The ordination treatise of 1930 is not the only place that Jonas delivers her message about the universal call to education. In fact, it is published in Berlin-area newsletters and regional articles to advance her beliefs on the importance of learning for both men and women. On June 09, 1938, Jonas delivered a lecture at the Ohel Jizchok Synagogue entitled "Current Religious Problems of the Jewish Community." Several weeks later, the lecture was commented upon by a reporter (Karl Kloppholz) and cast for a wider audience in written form. The newsletter reads: "Prayers have to shake man; the purpose of prayer is to transform man. Learning is a commandment that men and women have to obey equally. But learning is not just theory. The end of learning has to be the act." Rabbi Regina Jonas advocates on behalf of all people to not only learn, but also operate fromthis knowledge for the advancement of society. Learning is shown to not be a lone intellectual exercise, but rather a two-fold process of theory and praxis. Theacquisition of new skill sets is only the beginning of the educational process. The conclusion emerges when thought transitions to deeds.

One may wonder what the purpose might be gained

through acquiring a greater awareness of Jonas's life and written work, other than aprophetic call for an education evolution. The

fact is the life of Rabbi Regina Jonas endeavors to provide theological meaning to aworld that bears witness to the atrocities of the Shoah. Silverman explains, "Thiswoman showed me that God does exist. She was able to maintain her faith andrelationship to God in precisely the situation that made me question God's existence. I can relate to Jonas's disembodied, impersonal, compassionate God, which is brought into the world by tikkun olam ('to repair the world')." Jonas provides a model forpeople moving forward who seek to live out their faith during the worst ofcircumstances. The actions of Jonas run in stark contrast to the hate of the Holocaust. Rather than take from others, Jonas argues that life blossoms when we give back toone another. It is through acts of caring that society is transformed for the better. Where the Nazis stole life and liberty from millions of individuals deemed unfit forsociety, Jonas gives life to those in a desperate search for meaning amidst despair.?????? ?

Other than perhaps Anne Frank, the majority of people in the world would be hard-pressed to identify another woman who experienced the Holocaust firsthand (unless one has relatives known from exposure to the familial narrative). And yet, numerous men of the Nazi party continue to live in infamy throughout popular culture (Eichmann, Goering, Heydrich, Himmler, Hitler-to name a few). Rather than honorthe architects of mass murder, it behooves us to identify men and women who exemplify the qualities of community service and self-sacrifice from the long list of lives cut short. In this regard, Rabbi Regina Jonas functions as a figure worthy of popular appeal and acknowledge. One cannot deny that early Holocaust Studies have been undertaken primarily with reference to the masculine voice. Because both men and women suffered during this defining world event, it is crucial that the genderedexperience of both sexes be realized. One scholar writes: "The Holocaust was an attack on Jewish men and women as fathers and mothers of Jewish children. These experiences differed significantly. Gender was therefore inescapable. Far from being erased or becoming irrelevant, gender distinctions and

ideologies became more important for perpetrator and victim alike." Given her perpetual drive to act as a voice for women, ministering to people where they were at in the ghetto and concentration camp, Rabbi Regina Jonas serves as an example of goodness who was robbed of life by those determined to take it from her. While the perpetrators are important, it is the names of the millions that need to pierce the veil of unknowing and be raised up to the masses.

Bibliography

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Elizabeth R. Baer and Myrna Goldenberg. (2003). Experience and Expression: Women, the Nazis, and the Holocaust. Wayne State University Press: Detroit, Michigan.

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Klapheck, Elisa. (2004). Fraulein Rabbiner Jonas: The Story of the First Woman Rabbi. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: San Francisco, California.

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Saphora Smith's "'Never Again:' Anti-Semitism Surges as Memories of Holocaust Fade" (January 25, 2020) as found on NBC World News Website: https;//www,nbcnews,com/news/amp/ncnal l 22081 (accessed on May 04, 2021).

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Silverman, Emily Leah. (2014). Edith Stein and Regina Jonas: Religious Visionariesin the Time of the Death Camps.

Routledge: New York, New York.

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The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments (New Revised Standard Version). (1990). Word Publishing: Nashville, Tennessee.

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Waxman, Zoe. (2017). Women in the Holocaust: A Feminist History. Oxford University Press: New York, New York.

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Rev. Dr. Troy D. Ehlke, Th.M., S.T.M.