Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman

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Rabbi Zimmerman in the News

Rabbi Marcia Ann Zimmerman has been the senior rabbi of Temple Israel since 2001, and was the first female rabbi to serve a congregation of Temple's size. She also served as an associate and assistant rabbi at Temple since joining us in July 1988. Rabbi Zimmerman earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). As a student, she was the chairperson for the Women’s Student Alliance, student representative on the HUC-JIR Interview Committee, student coordinator for the brit milah (ritual circumcision) course, and served as student rabbi at three congregations.

Rabbi Zimmerman is the immediate past president of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association and is a member of the Executive Committee for the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, the Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP Foundation, and Chairperson of the Downtown Clergy Association. She is active in interfaith relations, serving on the Program Committee for the Phillips Jewish Christian Learning Center at the University of St. Thomas. Rabbi Zimmerman was recently elected to the Board of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR).

In addition to serving on the National Outreach Commission for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Zimmerman is a former member of the Board of the Jewish Family and Children's Service. A founding member of the Minnesota Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights, she also received its Faith and Freedom Circle of Honor Award. She has also taught at Augsburg Weekend College and at Macalester College.

Rabbi Zimmerman is married to Minnesota State Representative Frank Hornstein and has three children.

In the News

Minnesota Women's Press: "Pumps at the Pulpit: Women spiritual leaders reshape the divine and the day-to-day, but some find their rise to the top stops at the stained-glass ceiling"  December 1, 2004.  Click here to read the whole article; here to read Rabbi Zimmerman's portion only.

Minnesota Women's Press: "Newsmakers 2001: Taking the Lead Without Sacrificing Family"  January 2, 2002.  Click here to read

Minnesota Public Radio/Public Radio International, All Things Considered: "A Natural Transition"
For the first time, a woman is leading the largest Jewish congregation in the Midwest. Marcia Zimmerman was installed Friday night as Senior Rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis. Over 5,000 members attend the reform synagogue, placing it among the top congregations in the country. Zimmerman has served as Temple Israel's associate rabbi for the past 13 years. Her responsibilities as Senior Rabbi began in July. Zimmerman told All Things Considered host Lorna Benson how her role has changed: (Listen using RealAudio). 10/2001