Description: Stories of the artists of Terezin concentration camp
In addition to countless artists and creatives, many rabbis and religious leaders were also sent to Terezin. One of these individuals was Regina Jonas, the first woman to be ordained a rabbi. Regina overcame many obstacles to receive her ordination, and dedicated her life to serving Jewish communities in Germany. Even after she was deported to Terezin, Regina continued to serve, comfort, and inspire those around her. After the war Regina’s story was forgotten for decades, only to be miraculously rediscovere
Regina was born in Berlin in 1902, and was raised in Scheunenviertel, a poor Jewish neighborhood. Her parents were Orthodox and ensured that Regina received a Jewish education. Regina was a gifted and eager student, and by the time she was in high school, her passion for Jewish studies and Hebrew was evident to her teachers and fellow classmates.
Impressed by her intellect and intense love of Judaism, Regina’s rabbi Dr. Max Weil encouraged her to enroll at the liberal Berlin Academy for the Science of Judaism in 1924 to continue her studies. This was one of the few Jewish seminaries in Germany that admitted women at the time, and most of the female students intended to become teachers.