Can a rabbi be a woman?
Rabbi
On March 22, 2009, the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, an Orthodox Synagogue,[64] held a formal ceremony officially giving Sara Hurwitz the title Maharat – Manhigah Halakhtit Ruchanit Toranit.[65] However, some Orthodox leaders, such as the Rabbinical Council of America and the Agudath Israel of America, opposed this move and said it was not in keeping with Orthodoxy; in any case, Hurwitz was not given the title "rabbi". However, she is considered by some the first Orthodox woman rabbi. In February 2010, Avi Weiss announced that he was changing her title of Maharat to a more familiar-sounding title "Rabba".[66] The goal of this shift was to clarify Hurwitz's position as a full member of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale rabbinic staff. The change was criticised by both Agudath Yisrael and the Rabbinical Council of America, who called the move "beyond the pale of Orthodox Judaism".[67] Indeed, women's ordination has come to be a focal point of division between YCT and the rest of the spectrum of Orthodoxy,[68] as most of Orthodoxy does not view YCT as normative Orthodoxy.[69] Weiss announced amidst criticism that the term "Rabba" would not be used anymore for his future students. However, in June 2015, Lila Kagedan was ordained by Yeshivat Maharat and in keeping with newer policies, was given the freedom to choose her own title, and she chose to be addressed as "Rabbi".[70] In 2018, Dina Brawer, born in Italy but living in Britain, was ordained by Yeshivat Maharat; she chose the title Rabba.[71][72]
Feminist Jewish ethics
The Orthodox Movement has also seen progression for women. While it has yet to accept women into its rabbinate, in the past few decades, women have gained new rights and opportunities. Orthodox Jewish women now have the ability to work as rabbinical advocates, family purity experts, and synagogue leaders. In the late 1970s, women began to study Talmud and other Jewish texts. In the 1990s, women took on the role of "to'anot rabaniyot" or rabbinical advocates, a job previously only available to men. The to'anot help divorcing couples navigate the tricky legal system. In 1997, women were permitted to train as "yoatzot halakha", female Halakhic advisors who were knowledgeable in the laws and rituals regarding niddah and ritual purity. The details of these laws, which relate to menstruation as well as other issues of sexuality and women's health, render some women understandably uncomfortable in the presence of a male rabbi. Since the late 1990s, many Modern Orthodox synagogues in the United States have created congregational leadership positions for women such as community scholar or assistant congregational leader. These positions resemble the duties of the rabbi, however, these women are careful not call themselves rabbi. Orthodox interpretations of Jewish law continue to prevent women from counting as part of minyan and from bearing witness.