Background
Eger, Denise Leese was born on March 14, 1960 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, United States. Daughter of Bernard D. and Estelle (Leese) Eger.
Eger, Denise Leese was born on March 14, 1960 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, United States. Daughter of Bernard D. and Estelle (Leese) Eger.
She studied voice at Memphis State University, then transferred to the University of Southern California, where she majored in religion and graduated in 1982. She then studied at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, from which she earned a master"s degree in 1985, and went on to pursue rabbinic studies.
In March 2015 she became president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in North America. She is the first openly gay person to hold that position. Prior to ordination, Eger served an internship in 1985-1986 under Rabbi Solomon F. Kleinman at Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge, California.
She came out as gay in 1990 in a story in the Los Angeles Times.
In 1992, she and 35 other people founded Congregation Kol Ami, a synagogue intended to serve both gay and non-gay Jews in West Hollywood, California. She previously served as the chair of the Search Alliance Institutional Review Board and Treasurer of the Women"s Rabbinic Network, and is a past president of the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis.
She chaired the Gay and Lesbian Rabbinic Network of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and is past chair of the Task Force on Gays and Lesbians in the Rabbinate. She is a Senior Rabbinic Fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute.
In 2008 she was named one of the Forward 50.
One of the fifty most influential Jews in North America for her work in LGBT rights. She officiated at the wedding of activists Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, on June 16, 2008. In 2009, she became the first female and the first openly gay President of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California.
She was also the founding President of the Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Interfaith Clergy Association.
In the summer of 2010 she was named one of the fifty most influential women rabbis. In March 2015 she became president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in North America.
She is the first openly gay person to hold that position.
Executive committee Southern California Board of Rabbis. Community advisory board Shanti Foundation. Treasurer Women Rabbinic Network.
Chair Task Force on Gays and Lesbians inthe Rabbinate. Member Center Conference American Rabbis, Interfaith Clergy Association (past chair gays and lesbians board).