The first "Sabra" to be ordained as a Conservative Rabbi in Israel

 

Rabbi Ehud Bandel was born and raised in Jerusalem and did his military service in the Nahal paratroopers unit of the IDF. Rabbi Bandel is a graduate of the Hebrew University in Jewish History and Jewish Philosophy and holds a Master degree in Judaic studies from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. In 1988 he graduated the first class of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem and was the first native Israeli to be ordained as a Masorti (Conservative) Rabbi in Israel. For five years, he was the director of “Noam” - the Masorti Youth Movement and between 1997 and 2005 he served as the President and CEO of the Masorti (Conservative) Movement in Israel.

In 2006 he moved with his family to Melbourne Australia and served five years as the rabbi of Kehilat Nitzan, Melbourne's first Conservative (Masorti) congregation.

Rabbi Bandel is very active in interfaith and human rights issues. He was the Founding Director of Rabbis for Human Rights and served as the Co-Chair of the ICCJ’s International Abrahamic Forum. In 2011 he received in the US the Gandhi Peace Award for promoting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

 

Rabbi Bandel is a member of the executive council of the Rabbinical Assembly,  member of the Extended Executive of  WZO, and a member of the Executive Board of the World Jewish Congress-Israel.

 

Rabbi Bandel is married to Avital, and father of  Naama, Hadas and Ro'i.