New York, NY – Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York is pleased to announce that it’s new Senior Rabbi, Joshua M. Davidson, will be honored at an Installation event at a special Sabbath Service on Friday, December 6, beginning at 6:00 PM in the Main Sanctuary, Fifth Avenue at 65th Street. Rabbi Davidson succeeded Rabbi David Posner on July 1.
Speakers at the Installation will include Rabbi Jerome K. Davidson, Senior Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth-El (Great Neck); Senior Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein of Central Synagogue, Rabbi Dr. Norman J. Cohen of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Senior Rabbi Emeritus Dr. David M. Posner, Senior Rabbi Emeritus Dr. Ronald B. Sobel, and President of the Congregation John H. Streicker. Rabbi Joshua Davidson’s wife, Cantor Mia Fram Davidson, who serves as the Associate Cantor at Westchester Reform Temple, will participate in the service.
This is an historic and rare event for the world’s largest Reform synagogue. The last installation service took place nearly 40 years ago in 1974 for Rabbi Ronald Sobel. Previous installations were held in 1968 and 1948.
Previously, Rabbi Joshua Davidson was Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua, New York. He is a past president of both the Westchester Board of Rabbis and the Chappaqua Interfaith Council. From 2001-2006, he served as chair of the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ Committee on Justice, Peace and Religious Liberties and vice-chair of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. He has also chaired the Commission’s task force on Israel and World Affairs. Prior to his arrival at Temple Beth El, Rabbi Davidson served as both Assistant Rabbi and then Associate Rabbi for five years at Central Synagogue in New York City. He is a member of the Hebrew Union College President’s Rabbinic Council and the Clergy Advisory Board of Interfaith Impact of New York State.
Rabbi Davidson was born in Great Neck, New York, son of Rabbi Jerome K. Davidson, now Senior Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, and Dr. Gail S. Davidson, curator at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution in New York. He graduated from Princeton University in 1990 with a BA in English Language and Literature, received a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in 1995, and was ordained at the New York campus in 1997 at a ceremony that took place in Temple Emanu-El’s sanctuary. He is married to Cantor Mia Fram Davidson. They have two daughters, Helena and Mikaela.
