Karen Soria

Karen Soria is the first female rabbi to serve in Australia, although she was born and ordained in the United States. ^[1] She was originally from the Chicago area, and graduated from the HUC-JIR Reform Jewish seminary in 1981. ^[2] She then became Australia's first female rabbi, serving with congregations in Melbourne from 1981 until 1989. ^[2] Rabbi Soria later became the first female rabbi to serve in the U.S. Marines, which she did from 1992 until 1996; she was also the second female rabbi to serve in the U.S. Navy, a position she held from 1992 to 2003. ^[2][3] In 2009 Soria became the first female rabbi in the Canadian Forces; she was assigned to 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. ^[4] In 2011 HUC-JIR awarded her an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. ^[5] As of 2011, Rabbi Soria serves as Rabbi of Temple Shalom in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. ^[5]

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