Walter Jacob is a leading Reform

Reform Judaism (North America)

Reform Judaism is the largest denomination of American Jews today. With an estimated 1.5 million members, it also accounts for the largest number of Jews affiliated with Progressive Judaism worldwide.- Reform Jewish theology :Rabbi W...

 rabbi

Rabbi

In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...

 and an expert in the Reform movement

Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...

's approach to Jewish law (halakhah). A protege of Solomon Freehof

Solomon Freehof

Solomon Bennett Freehof was a prominent Reform rabbi, posek, and scholar. Rabbi Freehof served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Beginning in 1955, he led the CCAR's work on Jewish law through its responsa committee...

, Jacob served at Rodef Shalom

Rodef Shalom Temple

Rodef Shalom Temple is a National Register of Historic Places landmark in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania designed by architect Henry Hornbostel.Located on Fifth Avenue on the border of the Oakland and Shadyside neighborhoods, it houses Congregation Rodef Shalom, the oldest Jewish congregation in Western...

 in Pittsburgh as an assistant rabbi (1955) and as successor to Freehof as congregational rabbi (1967–1996). Jacob has degrees from Drury College and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Jacob promotes Reform Judaism in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, which awarded Jacob a knighthood medal. He is the President of the Abraham Geiger College, a post-Holocaust rabbinic seminary in Germany.

He previously served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis

Central Conference of American Rabbis

The Central Conference of American Rabbis , founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada, the CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world....

.

In addition to writing numerous Reform responsa

Responsa

Responsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...

, Jacob co-authored a series of works on progressive

Progressive Judaism

Progressive Judaism , is an umbrella term used by strands of Judaism which affiliate to the World Union for Progressive Judaism. They embrace pluralism, modernity, equality and social justice as core values and believe that such values are consistent with a committed Jewish life...

 halakhah with Moshe Zemer

Moshe Zemer

Rabbi Moshe Zemer is a leader in Progressive Judaism who specializes in the Reform movement's approach to Jewish law .Zemer publishes both scholarly essays and responsa...

.

Selected works

• Walter Jacob. "The Changing world of Reform Judaism: the Pittsburgh Platform in retrospect": papers presented on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Platform
  Pittsburgh Platform
  The Pittsburgh Platform is a pivotal 19th century document in the history of the American Reform Movement in Judaism that called for Jews to adopt a modern approach to the practice of their faith...
  
  , February, 1985 and The proceedings of 1885. Pittsburgh: Rodef Shalom Congregation, 1985. ISBN 0915138794.
• ______. “The Law of the Lord Is Perfect” Halakhah and Antinomism in Reform Judaism in CCAR Journal Summer 2004, pp. 72–84
• Walter Jacob and Moshe Zemer. "The environment
  Natural environment
  The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
  
   in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. New York: Berghahn Books, 2003. ISBN 1571814310.
• ______."Re-examining progressive Halakhah." Studies in progressive halakhah. New York: Berghahn Books, 2002. ISBN 1571814043.
• ______."Gender issues
  Gender and Judaism
  Gender and Judaism is an emerging subfield at the intersection of gender studies and Jewish studies. Gender studies centers on interdisciplinary research on the phenomenon of gender. It focuses on cultural representations of gender and people's lived experience...
  
   in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. New York: Berghahn Books, 2001. ISBN 1571812393.
• ______."Crime and punishment in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. [v. 6], New York: Berghahn Books, 1999. ISBN 1571811974.
• Walter Jacob, Moshe Zemer and Freehof
  Solomon Freehof
  Solomon Bennett Freehof was a prominent Reform rabbi, posek, and scholar. Rabbi Freehof served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Beginning in 1955, he led the CCAR's work on Jewish law through its responsa committee...
  
   Institute of Progressive Halakhah. "Marriage and its obstacles in Jewish law : essays and responsa."
• ______.Studies in progressive halakhah. 8, Pittsburgh ; Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1999. ISBN 092969910.
• ______."Aging and the aged in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. 7, Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah ; Rodef Shalom Press, 1998. ISBN 0929699084.
• ______."Israel and the Diaspora in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. 6, Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah, Rodef Shalom Press, 1997. ISBN 0929699092.
• ______."Death and euthanasia
  Euthanasia
  Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
  
   in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah v. 4. Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah : Rodef Shalom Press, 1995. ISBN 0929699068 (pbk.).
• ______."The fetus and fertility : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. 5, Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah : Rodef Shalom Press, 1995. ISBN 0929699076.
• ______. "Conversion
  Religious conversion
  Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
  
  to Judaism in Jewish law : essays and responsa." Studies in progressive halakhah. 3, Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1994. ISBN 092969905X.
• ______. "Progressive halakhah : essence and application." Studies in progressive halakhah. 1, Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1991. ISBN 0929699033.
• Walter Jacob, Moshe Zemer, Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah and Central Conference of American Rabbis. "Rabbinic-lay relations in Jewish law."
• ______.Studies in progressive halakhah. 2, Tel Aviv; Pittsburgh: Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah; Rodef Shalom Press, 1993. ISBN 0929699041.