Tehilla Lichtenstein, born Tehilla Hirshenson,[1][2] (1893 – 1973) was a leader of Jewish Science as well as an author.[3][4] She was born in Jerusalem and immigrated to America when she was 11.[4] Her parents were Hava (née Cohen) and Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn. She earned a B.A. in classics from Hunter College and an M.A. in literature from Columbia University.[4][5]
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She married Morris Lichtenstein in 1920. Together, they founded the Society of Jewish Science in 1921[1] or 1922.[6][7]
Lichtenstein originally ran the New York-based religious school of the Society of Jewish Science, where she also taught Hebrew and Bible.[8] She became the spiritual leader of the Society of Jewish Science when her husband, Morris, who had been its leader, died in 1938.[4] Morris's will had declared that the position should go to one of their sons or Tehilla if neither of their sons were willing, which, as it turned out, they were not.[4] Thus, in 1938, Lichtenstein became the first Jewish American woman to serve as the spiritual leader of an active Jewish congregation (though she was not ordained).[9] On December 4, 1938, Lichtenstein gave her first sermon as the new leader of the Society of Jewish Science. It was entitled "The Power of Thought".[8] According to the New York Times, which gave a brief notice to the event, over five hundred people attended the sermon.[10] She continued to preach from the pulpit until 1972.[8] She gave over five hundred sermons in all.[9] She also took over her late husband's duties as editor of the Jewish Science Interpreter magazine, serving until she died in 1973.[1]
She hosted a weekly radio program in the 1950s, which was a combination of practical advice and Jewish Science teachings.[4][8]
Her papers, known as the Tehilla Lichtenstein Papers, are now held at the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati, Ohio.[5]
Further reading
edit- "Applied Judaism," by Tehilla Lichtenstein (1989)
- "Jewish science in Judaism," by Tehilla Lichtenstein and Morris Lichtenstein (1986)
- "The Life and Thought Of Tehilla Lichtenstein," by Rebecca Alpert
- "What to tell your friends about Jewish Science," by Tehilla Lichtenstein (1951)
References
edit- ^ a b c 'Jewish Women's Archives: Personal Information for Tehilla Lichenstein' citing "Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives". Retrieved October 16, 2006.
- ^ Also referred to as Tehilla Hirschenson Lichtenstein. See Baskin, J. (2000). " Women Who Would Be Rabbis: A History of Women's Ordination, 1889-1985". By Pamela S. Nadell (Book Review). American Jewish History, 88(1), 149.
- ^ "history". Appliedjudaism.org. Archived from the original on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b c d e f "Tehilla Lichtenstein | Jewish Women's Archive". Jwa.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b "MS-22: Tehilla Lichtenstein Papers. 1927-1970". Americanjewisharchives.org. Archived from the original on 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ 'This Week in History: Week 49', Jewish Women's Archives (2006) Archived 2006-10-03 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
- ^ Ellen M. Umansky, From Christian Science to Jewish Science - Spiritual Healing and American Jews (Oxford: Oxford University, 2004) ISBN 0-19-504400-2
- ^ a b c d "This Week in History - Tehilla Lichtenstein becomes leader of Society of Jewish Science | Jewish Women's Archive". Jwa.org. 1938-12-04. Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ a b "Tehilla Lichtenstein - Jewish Women's Archive". jwa.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- ^ "Jewish Group Hears New Head". New York Times. 5 Dec 1938. Retrieved 16 May 2015.