Leslie Alexander (rabbi)

Leslie Alexander is a trailblazing American rabbi who made history in 1986 by becoming the first female rabbi to lead a major Conservative Jewish synagogue in the United States. This milestone was achieved at Adat Ari El synagogue in North Hollywood, where she was selected over five male candidates. Prior to her ordination, Alexander studied at the Conservative movement's University of Judaism in Los Angeles, and later at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, a Reform seminary, where she was ordained in 1983.

Alexander's journey to becoming a rabbi began when she was 17, driven by a strong desire to pursue a career in the rabbinate. With the encouragement of her parents, she persevered in her ambitions. After her ordination, she took on a significant role as director of adult activities and community education at the Jewish Community Centers in San Diego. It was during this time that she met her husband, Dr. Kenneth Atchison. Notably, Alexander chose to retain her maiden name after marriage, a decision motivated by her family's tragic history, having lost most of her relatives in the Holocaust, and her desire to preserve her family's name as an only child.