Moshe Zemer

Moshe Zemer (born Melvin Ray Zager, January 1, 1932-November 3, 2011) was a Reform Rabbi in Israel between 1963-2011.

He was the co-founder of Jewish Reform institutions in Israel and served in key positions in them, including as chair of MARAM (The Council of Progressive Rabbis), board member of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, board member of the Union for Progressive Rabbis in the United States, and a senior lecturer of Jewish Studies at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem.

Zemer was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 1, 1932.

Zemer grew up in Cleveland, Ohio.

When he was eight years old, his mother died, and his father placed him for adoption with his brother and sister-in-law, Shmuel and Sarah (Riklin) Zeger in Omaha, Nebraska, where he grew up and was educated.

In 1945, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, California, where his family joined Temple Beth Shalom, and where Zemer began religious studies.

In 1953, Zemer received his BA in Psychology from UCLA.

In 1960, he was ordained as a Rabbi at the Hebrew Union College (HUC) – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he also received a doctorate in Jewish Studies.

Following his ordination, he studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1960 and 1961.

Following his studies, Zemer became Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Baltimore, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he served as Rabbi until 1963.

In 1963 Zemer made Aliyah and became the Rabbi of Congregation "Kehilat Ha'Sharon" in Kfar Shmaryahu.

In 1964 Zemer established Congregation "Emet Ve'Anava" in Ramat Gan, and in 1968 he established Congregation Kedem in Tel Aviv, which he headed for the following twenty years.

Zemer also served on the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism Board, on the Board of CCCR (Central Conference of American Rabbis), and MARAM - (the Council of Progressive Rabbis in Israel).

He also served as a senior lecturer of Halachic studies at the HUC in Jerusalem.

In 1993 Zemer wrote the book "Sane Judaism," in which he laid out his vision of progressive Jewish law (Halachah), which gives current answers to the needs of individuals and society in modern times.

In 2004 Zemer was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the Hebrew Union College (HUC) in Jerusalem.

The Moshe Zemer award was established by MARAM, and is awarded to a rabbi or rabbinical student who has researched and developed questions and answers on a current event in Israel.

Zemer died on November 3, 2011, and was buried in Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim.