[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 57 (Wednesday, March 29, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E275-E276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO RABBI DENISE L. EGER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 29, 2023

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rabbi Denise L. Eger, 
who is retiring from her duties as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami 
of West Hollywood.
  Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Denise taught religious school and was 
active in her synagogue as a teen. Although she studied opera and 
originally intended to be a voice major in college, Denise opted for a 
career in the religious field, receiving a Bachelor's Degree in 
Religion from the University of Southern California and a Master's 
Degree from Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion. She was 
ordained a Reform Rabbi in 1988, obtained her Doctor of Divinity from 
Hebrew Union College in 2013 and was awarded an honorary degree in 2022 
as a Doctor of Philosophy from Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
  A social justice pioneer, Rabbi Eger has had many ``firsts.'' She 
served as the first openly gay person and first woman as President of 
the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, and officiated at the first 
legal wedding of a lesbian couple in California in 2008. Denise was the 
first openly lesbian or gay President of the Central Conference of 
American Rabbis (CCAR), the largest and oldest rabbinical organization 
in North America, and had an integral role in passing CCAR's March 2000 
resolution in support of rabbis to officiate lesbian and gay commitment 
ceremonies. She was a founding President of the Lesbian, Gay and 
Bisexual Interfaith Clergy Association and served on the boards of 
Equality for All/No on Prop 8 and the No On Knight/No on Proposition 22 
Campaign, which fought against anti-same-sex marriage ballot 
initiatives. Believing that activism is a significant duty of her 
rabbinate, she has worked extensively with persons with AIDS, serving 
as a past Chair of the Spiritual Advisory Committee of AIDS Project Los 
Angeles and facilitating an HIV+ support group for over 30 years.
  Rabbi Eger has received numerous accolades for her fierce commitment 
and tireless

[[Page E276]]

advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and other social justice issues. In 
2008, she was named one of the Forward 50 by the Jewish Daily Forward, 
in 2011 she was given the Community Equality Award by the Human Rights 
Campaign, in 2014, the City of Los Angeles honored her with the Pioneer 
Award during Pride Month.
  A noted author and speaker, Rabbi Eger was the co-editor of Gender 
and Religious Leadership: Women Rabbis, Pastors and Ministers and the 
editor of the trailblazing book, Mishkan Ga'avah: Where Pride Dwells: A 
Celebration of LGBTQ Jewish Life and Ritual and has written for several 
news periodicals. She is a frequent commentator on television and radio 
on the topics of spirituality, Judaism, family and LGBTQ+ issues.
  I ask all members of Congress to join me today in honoring Rabbi 
Denise L. Eger for 3 decades of compassionate and dynamic leadership at 
Congregation Kol Ami.

                          ____________________