Tamar Elad-Appelbaum

Tamar Elad-Appelbaum (; born 1974 or 1975), also known simply as Rabbi Tamar and Rabba Tamar, is an Israeli rabbi. She is the founder of Kehilat Zion, an egalitarian, traditional, and experimental congregation in Jerusalem.

Early life and education Elad-Appelbaum's maternal grandfather was from Delme, France and was a member of the Loren Group of the French Resistance during World War II. Her paternal grandfather hailed from Casablanca, Morocco. and raised in Jerusalem in a religious Zionist Orthodox family "that at times verged on Charedi".

Her brother, Nadav Elad, died while serving as a paratrooper in the IDF. In 2011, she resigned from the position. According to The Jerusalem Post, her decision was rooted in the seminary's refusal to ordain LGBTQ students.

In 2013, she founded the Kehillat Zion community in Baka, Jerusalem.

She has also co-founded Beit Midrash for Israeli Rabbis, a non-denominational rabbinic seminary connected to the HaMidrasha Educational Center for Israeli Judaism and the Shalom Hartman Institute.

In 2019, Elad-Appelbaum helped to translate a liturgical poem, titled Eileh Ezkerah for Pittsburg, honoring the victims of the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting into Hebrew.

In 2022, Elad-Appelbaum was the commencement speaker for Hebrew College in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

Elad-Appelbaum provided pastoral care to displaced Israelis following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel.

Interfaith activism In 2016, Elad-Appelbaum helped organize "Amen—A House of Prayer for All Believers", a project that created a shared prayer space in Jerusalem for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Publications