Walter Jacob

Who is Walter Jacob?

Walter Jacob is a leading Reform rabbi and an expert in the Reform movement's approach to Jewish law. A protégé of Solomon Freehof, Jacob served at Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh as an assistant rabbi and as successor to Freehof as congregational rabbi. Jacob has degrees from Drury College and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Jacob promotes Reform Judaism in Germany, which awarded Jacob a knighthood medal. He is the President of the Abraham Geiger College, a post-Holocaust rabbinic seminary in Germany.

He previously served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

In addition to writing numerous Reform responsa, Jacob co-authored a series of works on progressive halakhah with Moshe Zemer.