Remembering Rabbi Aaron Panken
Rabbi Aaron Panken, the president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion who died tragically in a plane crash this past Saturday, was a rare presence on the Jewish religious and political scene: A congenial radical, or, if one prefers, a moderate absolutist.
Rabbi Panken held strong, unambiguous beliefs on a series of issues at the fore of the Jewish community’s agenda, including Israel-Diaspora relations and full egalitarianism for all Jews, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. But, like his predecessor, Rabbi David Ellenson, he was able to convey his views without being confrontational or dismissive of other opinions. Rather, he exuded a confident decency, a sense that his convictions were rooted in a personal integrity that allowed for disagreement but commanded respect.