Brickner, Rebecca Aronson, 1894-1988

Rebecca Aronson Brickner was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents, Max and Dora Aronson, followed Orthodox Jewish practices and had strong ties to the Zionist movement. She received a rigorous Jewish education with Dr. Samson Benderley, and in 1910 accompanied him, as his Hebrew secretary, to New York City, where he established the Bureau of Jewish Education. While in New York, she became the first woman to complete a new program in Jewish education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and the first woman with a professional degree in Jewish education in the United States. She married Barnett R. Brickner in 1919, accompanying him first to Cincinnati, Ohio, where be studied for the rabbinate at Hebrew Union College, and then to Toronto where his first pulpit was located. While living in Toronto, she established Hadassah in Canada; in 1912 she had been a founding member of Hadassah in the United States with Henrietta Szold. The Brickners came to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1925, where Rabbi Brickner was to lead Anshe Chesed Congregation (Fairmount Temple) until his death in 1958. Rebecca Brickner continued to promote Jewish education and women's organizations in Cleveland. By her impetus, in 1963 the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies became an agency independent of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Cleveland. She also established the college's Women's Association.

Rebecca Aronson Brickner (1894-1988) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents,Max and Dora Aronson, followed Orthodox Jewish practices and had strong ties to the Zionist movement. Rebecca Aronson received a rigorous Jewish education with Dr. Samson Benderley. In 1910 Benderley was invited to establish the Bureau of Jewish Education in New York City, and Aronson accompanied him as his Hebrew secretary. During her years in New York, Aronson continued her studies at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. She was the first woman to complete a new program in Jewish education at the Seminary, and thus became the first woman with a professional degree in Jewish education in America.

Aronson married Barnett R. Brickner in 1919 and moved with him to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Barnett studied for the Reform rabbinate at Hebrew Union College. His first pulpit was in Toronto, Ontario. While living there, Rebecca Brickner established Hadassah in Canada; in 1912 she had been a founding member of Hadassah in the United States with Henrietta Szold. She also organized the first Sisterhood of a Reform congregation in Canada.

The Brickners came to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1925, where Rabbi Brickner was to lead Anshe Chesed - Fairmount Temple until his death in 1958. Rebecca Brickner promoted Jewish education and women's Jewish organizations. By her impetus, in 1963 the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies became an agency independent of the Bureau of Jewish Education of Cleveland, and she established the college's Women's Association. She continued to teach and study through the 1980s. In 1971, the College of Jewish Studies awarded her an honorary Doctorate of Hebrew Letters; in 1973 she earned a Masters of Hebrew Letters from that institution.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Barnett Brickner