Albert Axelrad, Brandeis Hillel rabbi who championed pluralism and social justice, dies at 87

Albert Axelrad, a longtime Brandeis Hillel rabbi, civil rights advocate, and pioneer of Jewish pluralism and social justice, has died at the age of 87. Throughout his life and career, he was known for championing egalitarian prayer and equal religious roles for men and women, while also maintaining a practice of attending Orthodox and other non-egalitarian services.

A native of Brooklyn, Axelrad made significant contributions to modern Jewish practice and community building. He was a pioneer of adult b’nai mitzvah programs and served as a founder of Boston’s Havurat Shalom, an institution that became a foundational model for the broader havurah movement.