Barbara Aiello

Barbara Aiello
Born (1947-11-06) November 6, 1947 (age 77)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationRabbi

Rabbi Barbara Aiello is the first female rabbi in Italy, as well as Italy's first non-Orthodox rabbi.[1] She was born in Pittsburgh to a family of Italian Jewish origin and was ordained at the Rabbinical Seminary International in New York at the age of 51. She also, in 1977, created the "Kids on the Block" puppet troupe.[2] In 2005 she conducted the first Passover seder in Sicily since 1492, when the Jews were expelled.[3] She also founded the Italian Jewish Cultural Center of Calabria and Sinagoga Ner Tamid del Sud (which is the first active synagogue in 500 years in Calabria).[4]

"Kids on the Block" was a pioneering effort in helping include children with disabilities into school and society and develop positive attitudes toward children with disabilities. A gifted puppeteer, Aiello created a troupe of children puppets with varying disabilities e.g. using a wheelchair, visually impaired etc. She performed wildly in elementary schools creating a positive experience for all.

  1. ^ Tabachnick, Tony (20 January 2011). "Pittsburgher is Italy's first female rabbi". Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  2. ^ Wiener, Robert (12 March 2009). "Italian-Americans seek to discover Jewish roots". New Jersey Jewish News. Archived from the original on 2017-05-21. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  3. ^ Ioffee, Karina (21 February 2014). "Italy's Only Female Rabbi Digs Up the Country's Hidden Jewish Roots". Tablet. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  4. ^ Weissman, Sara (17 February 2015). "Italy's First Woman Rabbi Searches Out Calabria's Hidden Jews". The Forward. Retrieved 12 February 2023.