Regina Persisted: an Untold Story

by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

From a young age, Regina Jonas loved to read stories from the Bible. She loved to read Hebrew. She wanted to be a rabbi. There had never been a woman rabbi before, and some people said, "You should learn to cook and sew like the other girls." But Regina persisted. They said, "Don't make trouble." But Regina persisted. They said, "Women are not smart enough." Regina heard, but still she persisted. Finally, in 1935, Regina Jonas become the first woman ever ordained as a rabbi. Her story inspires us to pursue our dreams and to persist even in the face of great challenges.

Genres: Jewish, Biography, Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Womens, Religion

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2018

About the author

Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso is Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck where she served for 36 years. Upon her retirement she founded the Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts Initiative, now at Herron School of Art and Design at IUI.

After receiving her B.A. and M.A. from Temple University, in 1974 she was the first woman ordained from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. In addition to being the first woman to serve a Conservative congregation, she and her husband, Dennis C Sasso, are the first practicing rabbinical couple in world Jewish history.

Sandy has written and lectured on women and spirituality, the discovery of the religious imagination in children, women’s leadership, and reimagining the Bible. She is the author of several nationally acclaimed books. Most notably, in 2004, Sandy received the Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Literature and, in 2012 took home the National Jewish Book Award for Best Illustrated Children’s Book for The Shemah in the Mezuzah. In 2019 she won the Glick Regional Author’s Award.

Sandy has been honored as one of the “Influential Women in Indiana” by the Indianapolis Business Journal and was featured among “Indy’s Most Influential Clergy” by NUVO News Weekly. She is the recipient of the “Sagamore of the Wabash”, the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of the State of Indiana and has been the recipient of The Heritage Keeper’s award for: the Indiana State Museum, the Torchbearer’s Award from the Indiana Commission for Women, and was designated as a Living Legend along with her husband by the Indiana State Museum.

She has authored more than 30 children's books, 2 books for adults, and numerous articles and essays.

Reviews

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about Regina Jonas and her rise to becoming an ordained rabbi in the 1930s. What a blessing she must have been to the Jews in the Theresienstadt concentration camp.

It's amazing that the next ordination of a woman rabbi didn't take place until 1972.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regina Jonas knew, at a young age, that she wanted to be a rabbi. And even though she heard over and over that there had never been a woman rabbi, Regina didn’t let that stop her. Every time she heard “No” or “You cannot,” she responded with “I will be what I will be.” She didn’t falter and eventually her determination and persistence paid off.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I did not grow up Jewish, I did not know that female Rabbis were only a recent development in the Jewish faith. Consequently, I learned a lot by reading this story of Rabbi Regina Jonas's story. I fell in love with her commitment to her calling, her efforts to do the job without the title, and her ability to shelve other people's expectations. As the book ends with her eventual success with the test to be a rabbi in the 1940s, but doesn't expand from there, I feared the worst. I'm grateful for the author's note at the end about what happened to Regina after the end of the picture book - information that a child might not find inspirational or comforting at a young age, when their adults might hoping they simply focus on the character of Regina Jonas.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am continually surprised by the people and events in history! I loved reading this astonishing book about Regina Jonas, the first woman ever to become a Jewish rabbi. She was an amazing woman and I truly finished this book and felt inspired by her story. "I will be what I will be".

[Carol Gordon Ekster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and inspiring story. Illustrations work well with this picture book about the first woman rabbi.

[Helyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5 stars] I have been fascinated by Regina Jonas' story for years. This isn't a bad introduction to it, though I hadn't considered how hard it would be to include some of the most amazing parts of her story into a children's book, given the fact that she was murdered in Auschwitz. The illustrations were lovely, the fact that this is written by another "first" woman rabbi is great, I just didn't find this so compelling as an adult reader. The book does include a page at the back explaining her later life in relatively kid-friendly terms. I wish the book actually acknowledged the rabbi who gave Regina smicha, Rabbi Max Dienemann, since her ordination is the central focus and she couldn't have become a rabbi without his help and support.
Can I also just say for the record that I don't at all connect with the slogan "nevertheless she persisted"? Its original context, though certainly relevant to feminism, was kind of weird and negative and anti-climactic. I'm glad people are connecting with feminism, I just think there are better quotes and catchphrases that more meaningfully reflect women's history and liberation.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regina wanted to be a rabbi. Her father taught her along with her brother as they were growing up. She studied and prepared to take the final test. At first she was not allowed to take the test as she was a woman. She taught and continued to study until this changed. She passed the test and became a rabbi but this was Germany as the Nazis came to power. Regina died in Auschwitz and her story has only recently been told again.
Use to talk about persistence and believing in yourself and your dreams.

[char · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice picture book about Regina Jonas, the first woman to be ordained as rabbi in 1935. I thought the framing of her story was a little reductive - repeated instances of a man in charge either giving or denying access to education and opportunities - and I feel a little uncomfortable with the narrative ending right before the Holocaust. But with a very young reader, this book provides a good vehicle for discussing inclusion and gender equality, and the epilogue about her experience in Theresienstadt and Auschwitz can be discussed at an older age.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting picture book biography. Might be too dark for younger children (the book's subject died in Auschwitz). An inspiring tale of persistence, though my daughter's biggest issue with this is the claim that Regina was the first female rabbi, when there is another picture book about a different woman who is credited as the first female rabbi (Osnat and her Dove).

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that Regina Jonas, while continuing to apply for the test as the first female rabbi, didn't wait for ordination or approval to act as a rabbi in her community, and later, in a concentration camp to those who needed it most. What a cool person.

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the inspirational story that Rabbi Sasso is telling here, but the ending is falsely positive considering Rabbi Regina Jonas died in Auschwitz only a few years after her ordination. I would not read this to a kid who wasn’t old enough to have that hard conversation.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story/historical figure, but the artwork doesn't do it for me.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely biography of a first female rabbi.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, sad though. I love the information at the back about all the first women rabbis by movement!

[BiographyProject]

Recommended by Jewish Book Council: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/boo...

[Jayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute tale of the first known female rabbi. It is a fun picture book and a great way to tell her story. I really loved the art style.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book biography of Regina Jonas, the first woman ever to be ordained as a rabbi. Published in 2018, it's very much in the "She Persisted" model of books (as demonstrated by the title), that sort of breezy "she just ignored them and kept going until she found someone who let her in," which works okay in a picture book biography, but since Regina Jonas was murdered in Auschwitz I'm a little... uncomfortable with it here, even though the book breaks off with her ordination in 1935. That said, it's nice to find a picture book about a Jewish woman, and Regina herself is a pretty neat person. I think I'll have to find an adult biography. Good diverse read for kids, I suppose, but be prepared to discuss the actual end of her life.