Rabbi Seth M. Limmer, DHL

Transformational Change Agent

Nationally and locally, I have spent my career working for meaningful, sustained change. 

Spearheading a partnership between the NAACP and the Central Conference of American Rabbis around 2015’s America’s Journey for Justice, I galvanized the participation of over 200 Rabbis in a 40-day march from Selma to Washington, structured the effort to effect long-standing individual and institutional commitment to Racial Justice, and ultimately helped see to the success of national efforts on Reparations policy (2019) and deep DEI work (2021).  

Serving as Senior Rabbi of Chicago Sinai Congregation, I spearheaded our work  to restore the mission of this legacy institution to its founding principles of excellence and impact in the arenas of social justice, interfaith efforts, and creating meaningful modern lives of meaning.

Bridge Builder

Throughout my career, I have worked to unite people across lines of race, class, and color. 

From helping to found Westchester United, an interfaith  IAF community organization, to Co-Chairing the Jenner Ogden Steering Committee, I have worked to bring together community leaders, clergy, philanthropists, government agents, and the business community to harness shared resources, focus core commitments, and achieve demonstrable results.

Notably in Chicago, I founded Open Judaism, dedicated to bringing the Jewish community into intentionally multi-faith partnerships to advance the common cause of a world repaired.

Strategist

Trained as a community organizer, I’ve learned that listening is the first step in creating a realistic strategy to reach shared goals; then creative thinking is required to maximize resources and achieve desired outcomes.

Working with the senior leadership of the IL Department of Human Rights, we developed a strategy to resuscitate the dormant Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes in a fashion that not only allowed us to achieve needed regulatory and administrative goals, but also to create new opportunities to counter White Supremacy in Illinois

Within the Central Conference of American Rabbis, I initiated a listening campaign and heard from Rabbis that Social Justice was increasingly marginalized in their work. To address this concern, we created “Rabbis Organizing Rabbis” as a sustained five-year strategy that successfully moved justice back to the center of the Reform Movement and the Reform Rabbinate.

Leading Voice

Knowing how to use one’s voice to further institutional mission and deepen commitment to core concerns is an expertise I continue to hone.  The essential element of all communication is transforming complicated issues into simple language: whether advocating public policy or translating ancient ways for a modern audience, 

I have learned that of greater importance than any public platform is the capacity to share important messages in ways that they might be heard, considered, adopted, and advanced. 

My efforts in traditional media (books, newspapers, radio, television) combined with work in emerging technologies (podcasts, blogs, web-based videos) has led to mine becoming a respected voice locally and nationally.