While women will serve as Rabbis and Cantors in synagogues across the country next week on Yom Kippur, it was 130 years ago, on the evening of Yom Kippur in 1890, that a Jewish woman became the first female in America to give a sermon from the pulpit. The woman, Ray Frank, was the great granddaughter of Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon, the renowned Gaon of Vilna. She actually organized the service that night in Spokane, Washington, as that community did not have a synagogue. She preached such a compelling message to the thousand attendees (Jews and non-Jews) about the importance of the Jewish community coming together and creating a congregation that a non-Jewish audience member stood up and offered the donation of a site for the Jewish community to build a synagogue. Ray Frank went on to speak and to preach across America, including at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and at High Holiday services at an Orthodox synagogue in British Columbia. What nickname did Ray Frank acquire?

Ray Frank Litman  is in the public domain

A. Rebbitzin Ray.

B. The Spokane Spokes-Jewess.

C. The Girl Rabbi of the Golden West.

D. Madame Rabbi Ray.

E. The excommunicated Ray Frank.

Click here for the answer.

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