Barbara Lerner Spectre

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Barbara Lerner Spectre (born 1942) is a founding director of Paideia, The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden, a non-denominational academic institute established in 2001.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, and educated in New York City, Barbara Spectre moved with her husband, Rabbi Philip Spectre, to Ashkelon, Israel in 1967 where she served on the faculty of Jewish Studies at Achva College of Education. After moving to Jerusalem in 1982 she served on the faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute of Jerusalem, the Melton Center of the Hebrew University, and Yellin College of Education where she was cited as Outstanding Lecturer 1995- 1997. She was the founding chairperson of the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem in 1984. She served as a scholar in residence for the United Synagogues, Midwest Regions in 1987, 1990, 1992, 1996 and has lectured extensively throughout the United States. In 1999 she moved to Stockholm, Sweden to join her husband, then serving as the Rabbi of the Great Synagogue, and in 2000 she wrote the foundational paper to the Swedish government for the formation of Paideia, the European Institute for Jewish Studies, which she has continued to direct. In its 10 years of existence (2011) Paideia has educated over 200 persons from 35 countries for leadership positions in the renewal of Jewish culture in Europe.

She is the recipient of the 2007 Max Fisher Prize for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, and the ICRF^{[disambiguation needed]} “2008 Women in Action” Award, the Award for Contribution to Jewish Education, Seminary of Judaic Studies, 1991 and The First Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies Award for Jewish Education, 1998 Her publications include: together with Noam Zion of the Hartman Institute, the two volume: A Different Light: the Big Book of Hannukah, and Educating Jewish Leaders in a Pan-European Perspective (Springer, The International Handbook of Jewish Education).

In 2010 she appeared in the Israel Broadcasting Authority video "The Jewish Community of Sweden". In it she says, "I think there’s a resurgence of antisemitism because at this point in time Europe has not yet learned how to be multicultural, and I think we’re gonna be part of the throes of that transformation, which must take place. Europe is not going to be the monolithic societies that they once were in the last century. Jews are going to be at the center of that. It’s a huge transformation for Europe to make. They are now going into a multicultural mode, and Jews will be resented because of our leading role. But without that leading role, and without that transformation, Europe will not survive." An excerpt of the video that includes Barbara Spectre saying these words has been widely distributed on the internet and has caused some controversy.^{[citation needed]}

• B.A. Barnard College, Columbia University, Philosophy
• M.A. New York University, Philosophy, Thesis: “The Paradigm Case and Non-Vacuous Contrast Arguments”
• PhD Candidate, Bar-Ilan University, Philosophy, “Models of Theological Response to the Holocaust in Christian and Jewish Thought”

In an interview posted online,^[1] Barbara can be heard discussing the changes she believes need to happen in Europe and how the "Jews are going to be at the center of that" and that "Jews will be resented because of our leading role. But without that leading role, and without that transformation, Europe will not survive.", this is little talked about by the main-stream-media (MSM) in Europe and no clarification has been given as to why she thinks Europe would not survive without this interference.

• “Educating Jewish Leaders in a Pan-European Perspective”, International Handbook of Jewish Education, Springer, 2011
• A Different Light: The Hannukah Book of Celebration, Two Volumes, co-editor with Noam Zion, Devora Press, 2000.
• A Different Light: The Hannukah Book, Two Volumes, co-editor with
• Noam Zion, Devora Press, 2000.
• “Sex and Destiny in the Palace: The Book of Esther”, The Jewish Chronicle, March 9, 2001
• "Zionism, Democracy, and Judaism", Zionism, The Sequel, Carol Diament, ed, 1998
• Review: Gender and Judaism, Jewish History, Vol. II, no. 2, Fall, 1997
• "Teaching Past: An Israeli Model", (Paul Lipst, co-author), Journal of Jewish Education, Vol. 61, No.1, Spring 1994
• The Purposes of Jewish Living, Florence Melton Adult Minischool
• Adult Education Curriculum, Hebrew University, 1989.
• "A Theology of Doubt", (Hebrew) in Eit L'asot, Fall, 1989
• "A Jewish State or a State of Jews", Rabbinical Assembly Proceedings, 1988
• "Zionism and Democracy", Zionist Conference Proceedings, Jewish Theological Seminary, 1989.
• "The Moral Dilemma of Israel", Rabbinical Assembly Proceedings, 1982

• Max M. Fisher Prize Awarded for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, 2007
• 2008 Women of Action Luncheon Committee
• Europe: Education of Adult Jewish Leaders in a Pan-European Perspective
• European Institute of Jewish Studies in Sweden - Staff
• 5th annual plaideia Project-Incubator
• The Jewish Week - Young European Jews Asserting Identity, Against The Odds
• European Jewish Fund - 2010 EJF Annual Meeting
• Israel Broadcasting Authority video, The Jewish Community of Sweden
• Barbara Lerner Spectre and Jewish implementation of multiracial multiculturalism in the Europe -- (video of excerpt of Barbara Lerner Spectre segment from "The Jewish Community of Sweden")

Template:Persondata