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While a student at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati on her way to becoming the first female rabbi in North America, Sally Priesand did not view herself as a trailblazer.

"In those days, I did not think of myself being a pioneer nor a champion of women's rights; I just wanted to be a rabbi," Priesand told an audience at the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County Feb. 21, where the story of her life and career is the subject of a new exhibition.

Priesand, who served as the rabbi of Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls for 25 years before retiring in 2006, made history in June 1972 when she was ordained as a rabbi by the Reform movement's flagship seminary.

Raised in a predominately non-Jewish neighborhood in suburban Cleveland, Priesand, 63, said that she decided that she wanted to become a rabbi in 1962, at the age of 16.

While she has forgotten exactly how she reached that conclusion, Priesand said she suspects that it had to do with her love of teaching. "I decided I wanted to be a teacher of Judaism, which is what being a rabbi is," she said.

Priesand, who along with her brother were the only two Jews in their high school, said she was active in her synagogue, Beth Israel-The West Temple, and its youth group.

"[Beth Israel] taught me important lessons of what it means to be a temple family and the importance of tikkun olam," she said.

As a teenager, Priesand attended Jewish camp for a summer with the financial support of her synagogue, an experience she described as a "tipping point."

"I came home with renewed enthusiasm and an even greater desire to be a teacher of Judaism," she recalled.

Following high school, Priesand enrolled in the joint program between the University of Cincinnati and HUC, a time she described as "fraught with challenges."

Priesand said that her "sincerity was suspect" by other students at the seminary, who questioned her intentions.

"Some people thought I came to marry a rabbi and not become a rabbi," she said.

This skepticism, she said, compelled her to work even harder in order prove her detractors wrong.

After some resistance by a select number of HUC faculty, the dean of the seminary decided to ordain her along with the other 35 men in the class.

Finding employment was not easy, Priesand recalled, as some congregations wanted her for the sheer publicity of having "the first," while others would not even talk to her. In the end, she was the last person in her class to secure a job.

The job she landed was the highly coveted position of assistant rabbi at the Steven Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan, where she spent seven years and left after realizing she would not be promoted to senior rabbi following the rabbi's retirement.

Hoping to find a job as a senior congregation rabbi, Priesand spent two years searching for a full-time position working alternatively as part-time congregational rabbi and hospital chaplain. Eventually she was offered a position at the Monmouth Reform Temple and after 25 years in that role, Priesand thought that it was the right time to retire.

"It is always wise to say goodbye when people still like you," she joked, although she continues to daven there weekly in the pews.

Priesand, who decided years ago that she would not be able to both have a family and serve as an effective rabbi, said that she never regretted her decision to enter the rabbinate.

"I'm grateful to God that part of my life's work has been to open doors to women in the Jewish community," she said, adding that part of her mission as a rabbi has been to create a Jewish community that is "based on equality and inclusivity."

Priesand said that the most difficult challenge of being a rabbi is "the ability to change emotions at a moments notice."

From a bar mitzvah and a wedding to a funeral and shiva, rabbis must "move from sadness to joy and often back again."

Priesand also spoke about her battles with breast and thyroid cancer, during which she learned about the importance of prayer, hope, and maintaining a positive attitude in the healing process.

The exhibition includes memorabilia and documents that span Priesand's life. Michael Berman, the executive director of the museum, said that it was difficult to decide what to include in the show as the available material far surpassed the amount of space available.

"For me, it's about her spirit, and I think the exhibit reflects that," Berman told The Jewish State, noting Priesand's sense of humor, commitment to feminism, and her love of Judaism.

"I always tell people that the story of the Jewish people is the story of America," Berman said. "And Rabbi Sally Priesand is part of that story."

The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County is located at 310 Mounts Corner Dr., Freehold. The exhibition is open through March 16.