Debra Kolodny

Debra Kolodny is a bisexual rights activist, congregational rabbi and Executive Director of Nehirim.^[1][2] She came out as bisexual in 1984.^[3] She edited the first anthology by bisexual people of faith, Blessed Bi Spirit (Continuum International 2000), to which she contributed "Hear, I Pray You, This Dream Which I Have Dreamed," about Jewish identity and bisexuality.^[2][4] She was the National Coordinator of BiNet USA for five years and facilitator of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's National Religious Leadership Roundtable from 1998 until 2004.^[5][6] She has also been interviewed by several major news outlets for stories on bisexuality, such as the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Toronto Globe and Mail.^[5]

Debra Kolodny joined Pnai Or, Portland’s Jewish Renewal congregation, as its rabbi in September 2011. Before moving to Portland she served for 9 years as the Executive Director of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Debra also served the northern Virginia community of Shoreshim for four years, was a lay leader at Fabrangen in Washington DC for 13 years and was the founder and spiritual leader of the Pnai HaSadeh learning minyan for 5 years. In March 2013 Debra began to split her time between P’nai Or and Nehirim, a national community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Jews, families, and allies, committed to a more just and inclusive world, where she serves as Executive Director.^[7][8]

She is listed in the Bisexuality-Aware Professionals Directory under the category of "Pastoral / Religious."^[9]

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