Jimmy Kessler
Encyclopedia
James Lee "Jimmy" Kessler (born December 10, 1945), the founder of the Texas Jewish Historical Society
, is the first native Texan
to serve as rabbi
of Congregation B'nai Israel in Galveston, Texas
.
. 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
.
After graduating from the University of Texas, and being ordained 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 Kessler taught very popular courses in the Religious Studies programs 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 chaplain
for patients at UTMB's hospitals.
Kessler has led Congregation B'nai Israel for over 25 years.
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.
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 a past 25 year member of the Institutional Review Board of the University of Texas Medical Branch and a current member of the Human Research Committee at the Transitional Learning Center
, founding chair of the Community Liaison Committee for the Galveston National Laboratory
and Chaplain for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. Kessler serves on the Ethics Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
In July 2009, Kessler became the first rabbi in the 171-year history of Texas freemasonry
to be named the presiding officer of a Masonic lodge
, when Harmony lodge of Galveston installed him as their new leader. Harmony lodge dates itself to 1839.
Texas Jewish Historical Society
The Texas Jewish Historical Society, , which began in 1980, is a society dedicated to the preservation of Jewish history in Texas.-History:...
, is the first native Texan
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to serve as rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
of Congregation B'nai Israel in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
.
History
Kessler was born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He studied for his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Jewish history
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
, 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
Texas Jewish Historical Society
The Texas Jewish Historical Society, , which began in 1980, is a society dedicated to the preservation of Jewish history in Texas.-History:...
in 1980. Today the society has grown to more 750 members and has sponsored and supported research for scholars and students of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Jewish history
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
.
After graduating from the University of Texas, and being ordained by the Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati he served as director of the Texas Hillel
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally...
, the Hillel that serves the students attending the University of Texas. While there Kessler taught very popular courses in the Religious Studies programs 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 chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
for patients at UTMB's hospitals.
Kessler has led Congregation B'nai Israel for over 25 years.
Academics and leadership
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.Kessler is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Texas State Historical Association
Texas State Historical Association
The Texas State Historical Association or abbreviated TSHA, is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to documenting the rich and unique history of Texas. It was founded on March 2, 1897. As of November 2008, TSHA moved from Austin to the University of North Texas in Denton.The executive...
's Handbook of Texas
Handbook of Texas
The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
, where he also holds the position of Jewish History Editor.
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
Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Central Conference of American Rabbis , founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada, the CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world....
, 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 a past 25 year member of the Institutional Review Board of the University of Texas Medical Branch and a current member of the Human Research Committee at the Transitional Learning Center
Transitional Learning Center
The Transitional Learning Center ' is a post-acute brain injury rehabilitation facility headquartered in the island city of Galveston, Texas. It was started by the non-profit Moody Foundation in 1982, in response to a brain injury suffered by a son of trustee Robert L. Moody...
, founding chair of the Community Liaison Committee for the Galveston National Laboratory
Galveston National Laboratory
The Galveston National Laboratory in Galveston, Texas, USA, is a high security National Biocontainment Laboratory housing several Biosafety level 4 research laboratories, run by the University of Texas Medical Branch for exotic disease diagnosis and research...
and Chaplain for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. Kessler serves on the Ethics Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
In July 2009, Kessler became the first rabbi in the 171-year history of Texas freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
to be named the presiding officer of a Masonic lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
, when Harmony lodge of Galveston installed him as their new leader. Harmony lodge dates itself to 1839.
Publications
In 1990, Kessler and two other authors wrote Deep in the Heart: The Lives and Legends of Texas Jews : A Photographic History. In 1995, Kessler wrote Songs for the Soul: Selections from Psalms. In 1997, Kessler published Henry Cohen: The Life of a Frontier Rabbi.See also
- History of the Jews in Galveston, TexasHistory of the Jews in Galveston, TexasJews have inhabited the city of Galveston, Texas, for almost two centuries. The first known Jewish immigrant to the Galveston area was Jao de la Porta, who, along with his brother Morin, financed the first settlement by Europeans on Galveston Island in 1816. de la Porta was born in Portugal of...