Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur ’08: A Homecoming Marked by Reflection and Hope

On February 26, Hebrew Union College welcomed back one of its distinguished alumni: Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, a leading voice in progressive Judaism, a celebrated author, and one of France's most influential public Jewish figures. Ordained in 2008, Rabbi Horvilleur described the return to her alma mater as "more moving than [she] expected", a milestone moment that allowed her to look back on 18 years of growth and change.

Throughout her visit, Rabbi Horvilleur spoke candidly with students and faculty about her rabbinic formation and the cultural journey that shaped her. Raised in France in an Orthodox environment before spending her formative years in Israel, she arrived in New York with little exposure to American Jewish life. Encountering egalitarian worship, women rabbis, and a vibrant liberal Jewish landscape proved transformative. "It was a huge discovery," she recalled, noting how Hebrew Union College served as her entry point into a version of Judaism she had never seen but ultimately recognized as part of her future.

That future took her back to France. Upon ordination, she was one of only three women rabbis in the country. Returning to her home meant confronting resistance and skepticism about her ability to lead, but over time, her books, media presence, and public recognition gradually reshaped French Jewish life and helped open the door for a new generation of women entering the rabbinate.

In a conversation with cantorial student Rabbi Luisa Sinacore '24, Rabbi Horvilleur explored some of the most pressing issues facing Jewish communities today: the rise of antisemitism, fear and resilience after October 7, and the heavy emotional work required of today's clergy. She shared poignant personal stories: from her grandparents' contrasting wartime legacies, to her daughter's instinct to place a toy police officer at the entrance of a Lego synagogue. It was an emotional reminder of how trauma passes between generations.

One of her most compelling messages centered on the dual role rabbis must occupy as both comforter and critic. "We have to be the ones who give comfort," she said, "but at the same time, we have to… be able to express criticism. You know, this is what prophetic voices have done in the Jewish tradition. You have to give both. To comfort, but [also] to rebuke." In a polarized era like ours, she believes rabbinic voices are uniquely positioned to uphold complexity, nuance, and depth, qualities she describes as "the opposite of the Twitter/X exchange", which thrives on brevity and black-and-white thinking.

Her advice to emerging clergy is both practical and profound: find allies, embrace loneliness as part of leadership, and never teach something you already know. The rabbinate, she suggested, must be a space for continual learning, curiosity, and self-renewal.

Rabbi Sinacore reflected on the personal resonance of the conversation: "It was a delight to have a chance to speak with Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur. As a French-speaking Canadian Jew, there are few examples in the Progressive Jewish world who share this language and a similar lived experience with me: a woman clergy person who left her home, a place where Progressive Jews sit in the margins, to study in the United States, while striving to maintain her own socio-cultural identity. Not to mention, her writings about COVID-19, pastoral care, October 7th, and antisemitism speak to this moment in such a poignant, thoughtful way. She truly is one of the significant rabbinic voices of our generation, and it was a privilege to learn from her."

Rabbi Horvilleur's visit was more than a homecoming: it was an invitation to students and faculty alike to deepen their learning, expand their courage, and carry forward a form of Judaism capable of meeting today's challenges with honesty and hope.

Watch the full interview: