Rabbi Eleanor Davis shares her story to celebrate 50 years of women rabbis in the UK

This year, as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jackie Tabick’s ordination and 50 years of women in the UK rabbinate, Rabbi Eleanor Davis talks about her experience as a woman rabbi. 

For the past five decades, Leo Baeck College has been at the forefront of progress, ordaining over 70 women rabbis and shaping the landscape of Progressive Judaism. To mark this milestone, we have curated an archive of inspiring stories that highlight their remarkable journeys. In this blog post, Rabbi Eleanor Davis reflects on rabbinical student life at LBC and her own journey since her ordination at Leo Baeck College in 2024.

LBC gave me five years of immersion in Jewish learning with experts in their fields and five years of immersion in British (& Irish) Jewish communities, both equally important in shaping the rabbi I am today. (Also five years of being asked why so many women/so few men are applying to become rabbis.)

It’s a joy and a privilege that among my closest colleagues now is a Cantor who trained at HUC: ordination from LBC has for me felt like a passport to an international community of Jewish clergy, with a shared language of commitment to Judaism and Jewish people, enriched by the different accents we each bring.

From personal experience I know that applying for LBC takes courage: to embrace the vulnerability of engaging in a transformative process; to leave behind the financial security and status of a job; to begin a lifetime of pushing out of your comfort zone to pursue the growth that will enable you better to be of service.

Supporting the college means gifting rabbinic students the time and space to grow into the leaders that progressive Jewish life needs.

We can only build the future of Progressive Judaism with the generosity of our supporters

Celebrate this foundational milestone with us and support the next generation of inspirational Progressive Jewish leaders by helping us raise £50,000 for 50 years of women in the UK rabbinate.

This year, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous supporter, we’re pleased to announce donation top-ups, so for every £4 you donate, they’ll add an extra £1 to celebrate this momentous occasion – find out more on the donation page

We also invite you to join us online on 14th May 2025 as we celebrate this extraordinary event with Rabbi Dr Jackie Tabick in conversation with Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris.