Her last name means “symbol” in Hebrew, and for as long as almost anyone can remember, she was one. An icon in the Bay Area, Rita Semel was a pioneer of interfaith relations, a leader of multiple Jewish community institutions and an indefatigable social justice activist across decades. She died May 13 in San Francisco at 104.
“She lived an extraordinary life and modeled for all of us the value of and pathways to building truly enduring relationships with people of all backgrounds,” Rabbi Doug Kahn said in a social media post, describing Semel as a mentor, friend, boss and predecessor as executive director of the local Jewish Community Relations Council. “We are all the beneficiaries of her mentorship, example, and passion for a better world.”
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco described Semel as “a dear friend.”…