The Central Conference of American Rabbis , the rabbinical branch of Reform Judaism , has installed its first openly lesbian president . Denise Eger , 55 , was inaugurated Monday at the CCAR 's annual convention in Philadelphia this year , Jewish Telegraph Agency reports . Though Eger is n't the first openly gay or lesbian clergy person to lead an American rabbinic group , the road for Eger has not been an easy one . First : Denise Eger , 55 , was inaugurated Monday as the first openly lesbian president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis . Eger was ordained in 1988 , a time when one could not be an openly gay Reform rabbi , the Philadelphia Inquirer reports . Though Eger was n't formally out at that time , her sexual preference was known and no one would hire her , according to Yahoo News . Later , Eger was offered a job with Beth Chayim Chadashim , the world 's first lesbian and gay synagogue . Two years after her ordination , Eger formally came out as a lesbian in a Los Angeles Times story , Yahoo reports , saying that gay and lesbian Jews need a positive role model . ' I took a great risk but I did n't feel I could be authentic anymore — watching young men all around me die and not tell , ' she told the paper . Eger has since served pulpits in Canada , Los Angeles , and New York . She has been vocal and active in LGBT community , becoming a noted speaker and award-winning activist in the community . Hire : Eger was ordained in 1988 , and though she was n't formally out at that time , her sexual preference was known and no one would hire her . She is the founding rabbi of Kol Ami synagogue in Los Angeles , Calif. Eger has been on the CCAR board of trustees for four years , JTA reports , becoming president elect in 2013 . The 55-year-old was both the first female and the first openly gay president of the Southern California Board of Rabbis . Speech : Here , Eger speaks at the CCAR 's annual convention , held this year in Philadelphia , where she was inaugurated . Hopes : Though Eger once believed becoming a rabbi or cantor would force her to sacrifice her hopes of having a spouse and children , she is currently engaged and has a 21-year-old son . Though Eger once believed becoming a rabbi or cantor would force her to sacrifice her hopes of having a spouse and children , she is currently engaged and has a 21-year-old son . 'It 's about human rights and human dignity , ' Eger told Yahoo . 'If you can be a rabbi , if you can be a person of faith , if you can serve a community as their pastor , and you can have the opportunity to begin to reconcile all of those issues , it speaks volumes . '
Denise Eger , annual , was inaugurated Monday as the Central Conference of American Rabbis ' first openly lesbian president . She was inaugurated at the CCAR 's 55 conference , held in Philadelphia this year . Eger was ordained in 1988 , a time when one could not be an openly gay Reform rabbi . She has since served in pulpits in the U.S. and Canada and has become a leading activist in the LGBT community .