Top image: (L to R) European RA President Rabbi Peter Radvanszki; Masorti Olami President Margo Gold; RA International President Rabbi Gesa Ederberg; Latin American RA Past President Rabbi Judy Nowominski Kohn; and Latin American RA President Rabbi Danny Dolinky. Photo: Stefanie Diamond

We are thrilled to congratulate Rabbi Gesa Ederberg on her installation as the International President of the Rabbinical Assembly, being the first president of the Rabbinical Assembly from outside North America or Israel, which reflects the increasingly global and diverse character of the Masorti/Conservative movement. 

Rabbi Ederberg was installed during a ceremony held on March 10, at Congregation Beth Sholom in New Jersey, US. Masorti Olami President Margo Gold, and other Masorti Olami officers and board members attended the ceremony to celebrate Rabbi Ederberg and welcome the new officers and executive council of the Rabbinical Assembly.

A formal ceremony of celebration and installation also took place in Berlin on March 17, and was attended by rabbis from across Europe and North America, representatives from the German and European Parliaments, the leadership of Masorti Europe, represented by Masorti Europe Vice President Bruce Rigal, and community leaders.

“With so many challenges facing Jewish communities around the world, the role of rabbis in the Conservative/Masorti movement has never been more vital,” Rabbi Gesa Ederberg said. “Our movement brings together a deep commitment to Jewish tradition with thoughtful engagement in the modern world. It is important that we all sit at the same table, shaping our shared future and translating that work into the needs of our communities, whether in the United States, Latin America, Europe, or Israel.”

A respected leader and teacher, Rabbi Ederberg made history as the first female pulpit rabbi to serve in Berlin since the Holocaust, a powerful sign of the renewal and vibrancy of Jewish life in Europe. Her installation during Women’s History Month adds further meaning to this moment. Born in 1968 in Tübingen, Germany, Rabbi Ederberg was ordained by the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem in 2002. In 2007, she became the first female pulpit rabbi in Berlin at the Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue, following in the footsteps of Rabbi Regina Jonas, the first female rabbi ordained in Germany in 1935, who also served in Berlin. Rabbi Ederberg was a founding member of the European Rabbinical Assembly of Masorti/Conservative Rabbis in 2006.

“I was very honored and proud to be present as Rabbi Gesa Ederberg became the first rabbi from a Masorti Olami community to hold the distinguished title of President of the International Rabbinical Assembly,” shared Margo Gold. “In her acceptance remarks, Gesa spoke about the importance of continued collaboration across the broader Conservative/Masorti movement, as well as her goal for the RA to more deeply engage Olami rabbis and highlight the remarkable diversity and contributions of our communities around the globe.”

“I was very honored and proud to be present as Rabbi Gesa Ederberg became the first rabbi from a Masorti Olami community to hold the distinguished title of President of the International Rabbinical Assembly,” shared Margo Gold. “In her acceptance remarks, Gesa spoke about the importance of continued collaboration across the broader Conservative/Masorti movement, as well as her goal for the RA to more deeply engage Olami rabbis and highlight the remarkable diversity and contributions of our communities around the globe.”

Masorti Olami Executive Director Rabbi Mauricio Balter shared: “The election of Rabbi Gesa Ederberg marks a historic moment for Masorti Judaism. Her appointment reflects the vitality and global reach of our movement. Her leadership is a powerful sign that Masorti Judaism continues to grow, cultivating leaders around the world and strengthening Jewish communities far beyond Israel and the United States.”

“The genuine hakarat ha’tov and kavod extended to institutional partners truly stood out, with acknowledgements that felt intentional and meaningful", shared Rabbi Rafi Cohen, Member of Masorti Olami’s Executive Committee. "Margo’s involvement in presenting the Torah mantle for Gesa’s congregation in Berlin was a fitting and symbolic moment. The reflections of Gesa’s son David, on finding a sense of home in Masorti/Conservative congregations beyond Berlin beautifully underscored the community Gesa has built in Berlin”.

B’hatzlacha rabba in this new chapter, Rabbi Gesa. Together with Masorti Europe, we are thrilled to welcome the first European RA President and look forward to the inspiration and impact of your leadership across our global movement.