Collection

Salkowitz, Selig Papers

Span Dates: 1963-2000
Bulk Dates:
Volume: 2 boxes, 1 cubic foot

Description

This collection contains minutes, correspondence, reports, nearprint, and working papers associated with Salkowitz's service on committees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), including 2 boxes of materials documenting the work of the Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate from 1977-1990.

Hist/Bio Note

Selig Salkowitz was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1950. He attended Hebrew Union College where he received a Bachelor of Hebrew Letters degree in 1952 and a Master of Hebrew Letters degree in 1954. Salkowitz later earned a Doctorate of Divinity at the New York Theological Seminary in 1970. In addition, he did independent study at the Oxford Center for Postgraduate Hebrew Studies, and obtained a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling from the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in New York City. Rabbi Salkowitz served as a Navy chaplain from 1954-1974, doing active duty in the Mariana Islands from 1954-1956, and reserve duty in the U.S. from 1956-1974. He also served on the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Chaplaincy Committee as well as on the National Jewish Welfare Board's Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy. Salkowitz's other committee work for the CCAR included chairing the important Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate (1986-1990) and co-chairing the Committee on Human Sexuality (1993-2000). Both of these committees explored questions of the place of gays and lesbians in the Reform movement, debating both inclusion in the rabbinate and whether to officiate and recognize marriages between same-sex couples. At the recommendation of the Committee on Homosexuality in the Rabbinate, the CCAR adopted a resolution in 1990 allowing openly gay and lesbian rabbis in the Reform rabbinate. In 2000, the CCAR adopted a resolution in support of rabbis who chose to officiate at same-sex ceremonies. During his career as a pulpit rabbi, Dr. Salkowitz served Temple Beth El in Providence, Rhode Island (1956-1958), Temple Avoda, Fair Lawn, New Jersey (1958-1988) and Union Temple of Brooklyn, New York (1988-1992). He was also interim rabbi at Temple Israel of Stockton, California (1992-1993).

Finding Aid

An online finding aid is available.
https://7079.sydneyplus.com/archive/final/Theme.aspx?r=974297&f=FindingAids%2fms0725.pdf&m=resource

Location

The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion 3101 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220
https://www.americanjewisharchives.org

Tags

Jewish (ethnic, Reform, Reconstructionist, Orthodox) | Jewish (Reform) | Ordination/clergy