Jimmy Kessler

Rabbi James Lee "Jimmy" Kessler (born December 10, 1945), the founder of the Texas Jewish Historical Society, is the first Native Texan to assume the leadership of Congregation B'nai Israel, Galveston, Texas. cite web
last =Kessler
first =James L.
title =Temple B'nai Israel, Galveston
publisher =Handbook of Texas Online
url =http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/TT/ivt1.html
accessdate =2007-10-24 ]

History

Rabbi Kessler has led this Galveston kehilla for 25 years.cite web
title =Rabbi Jimmy Kessler, DHL, DD
publisher =Temple B'nai Israel
url =http://www.templebnaiisraelgalveston.org/rab.html
accessdate =2007-10-24 ] A Jewish Texan, Rabbi Kessler was born in Houston, Texas and is an expert on Galveston's Jewish history. He studied for his doctorate, in Texas Jewish history, at the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion and received his BA from the University of Texas in Austin. His long interest in Texas Jewish history lead to him founding the Texas Jewish Historical Society in 1980. Today the society has grown to more 750 members and has sponsored and supported research for scholars and students of Texas Jewish History. [cite web
title =Main Page
publisher =The Texas Jewish Historical Society
url =http://www.geocities.com/txsynvr/
accessdate =2007-10-24 ] [cite web
title =80(R) Senate Resolution 709 - Enrolled Version - Bill Text
publisher = The Texas State Senate
url =http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/SR00709F.HTM
accessdate =2007-10-25 ]

After graduating from the University of Texas, and being ordained a Rabbi by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati he served as director of the Texas Hillel, the Hillel that serves the students attending the University of Texas. While there Rabbi Kessler taught very popular courses in the Religious Studies progams at UT and served on several committees at the request of the president of UT. His strong dedication to education and youth continues to this day through his serving as Campus minister to Jewish students at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) as well as his position as Jewish Chaplin for patients at UTMB's hospitals. [cite web
title =Jimmy Kessler | publisher =UTMB Pastoral Care
date =2007-09-25
url =https://www.utmb.edu/pastoralcare/kessler.htm
accessdate =2007-10-24 ]

Academics and leadership

Rabbi Kessler holds an honorary Doctorate in Divinity from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and serves on the Commission for Sustaining Rabbinic Education, an organization that works to create, promote, and implement educational programs for the Reform Rabbinate. [http://www.huc.edu/news/founders.html HUC-JIR News Founders Day ] ] [http://www.huc.edu/jointcomm/about.html Joint Commission For Sustaining Rabbinic Education]

Kessler is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Texas State Historical Association's Handbook of Texas, where he also holds the position of Jewish History Editor. [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/credits-ael.html Texas State Historical Association - The Handbook of Texas Online - New Handbook of Texas Editorial Advisory Board ] ]

Past honors that have been bestowed on Kessler include being named the first Chairman of the Church-State Relations Advisory Board for the Texas Department of Human Resources, past board member for the Central Conference of American Rabbis, past director of the Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund, trustee for the Abe and Anne Siebel Fund, director of the Abe and Peggy Levy Fund, and past member of the Human Research Committee at the University of Texas Medical Branch, current chair of the Community Liaison Committee for the Galveston National Lab and Chaplain for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. [http://www.houstonjewish.org/PDF/FallWinter2003.pdf Microsoft Word - FallWinter2003.doc ] ] http://humanitiestexas.org/education/institutes/gateway/gatewayfinalrpt.pdf]

Publications

In 1990, accompanied by two other authors, Rabbi Kessler wrote, "Deep in the Heart: The Lives and Legends of Texas Jews : A Photographic History." cite web
last =Kessler
first =Jimmy
title =Deep in the Heart: The Lives and Legends of Texas Jews : A Photographic History
publisher =Eakin Press
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=elCkAAAACAAJ&dq=jimmy+kessler
accessdate =2007-10-31 ] In 1995, Rabbi Kessler wrote, "Songs for the Soul: Selections from Psalms." cite web
last =Kessler
first =Jimmy
title =Songs for the Soul: Selections from Psalms
publisher =Ledero Pr
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=26KjAAAACAAJ&dq=jimmy+kessler
accessdate =2007-10-31 ] In 1997, Rabbi Kessler published "Henry Cohen: The Life of a Frontier Rabbi." cite web
last =Kessler
first =Jimmy
title =Henry Cohen: The Life of a Frontier Rabbi
publisher =Eakin Press
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=a9cFAAAACAAJ&dq=jimmy+kessler
accessdate =2007-10-31 ]

Media references

The Galveston County Daily News has written numerous articles concerning Rabbi Jimmy Kessler. Rabbi Kessler has been compared to the late Rabbi Henry Cohen by this paper. cite web
last =Cousins
first =Rick
title =The message of Passover
publisher =Galveston Daily News
url =http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=ec0da92c7a86fe20
accessdate =2007-10-29 ] Also, the Galveston Daily News quotes Rabbi Kessler as considering "Hanukkah as the first battle in history fought for religious freedom." cite web
last =Taylor
first =Herber
title =Light that led to religious freedom
publisher =Galveston Daily News
url =http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=fcdcf99d7808c55a
accessdate =2007-10-29 ] Also, the Galveston County Daily News has reviewed Rabbi Kessler's books. cite web
last =Taylor
first =Herber
title =Book Review of Rabbi Kessler Text
publisher =Galveston Daily News
url =http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=7eaab645f086c12b9ee596497d21a777
accessdate =2007-10-29 ]

ee also

* History of the Jews in Galveston, Texas

References

External links

* [http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=7eaab645f086c12b9ee596497d21a777 Review of Rabbi Kessler's Book]
* [http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=bb45078939616e945cad5829f4bda69c Rabbi Kessler's Book Release in time for Temple B’nai Israel's 136th year]