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This section explores the experiences of women in different roles such as educators, communal leaders, scholars, and rebbetzins -- and possible trajectories for women being ordained as rabbis.
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Sperber, Daniel, Maroof, Joshua, and Bin-Nun, Yoel
Responsa Regarding Women's Roles in Religious Leadership, compiled by Sperber, Daniel, Maroof, Joshua, and Bin-Nun, Yoel.
Synopsis: In preparation of ordination of Mahara"t Sara Hurwitz, three rabbis wrote responsa to the question "of appointing a woman, who has learned Torah, and especially the halakhot of Orah Hayyim and Yoreh Deah from outstanding Torah scholars, and who according to her skills, knowledge, middot and life style is worthy of serving in Rabbinic roles, fulfilling a Rabbinic responsibilities in the community." Contained in this PDF file are the texts of these responsa in Hebrew and English.
R. Maroof's responsum is also available at this link
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Hyman, Paula E. and Ofer, Dalia, eds.
"Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia - Online Edition" by Hyman, Paula E. and Ofer, Dalia, eds.. Jewish Women's Archive, 2009
Synopsis: This encyclopedia seeks to make available to all who are interested in Jewish history and culture the varied accomplishments of Jewish women and their many contributions to the Jewish historical experience over the course of the past three millennia. The online edition makes this wealth of information available to anyone, anywhere, and will allow scholars and more casual readers to propose updates and, in a later stage, to upload new articles. This first iteration creates easy access to the articles on the CD-ROM and gives users the opportunity to add links, updates, and suggestions for new content.
jwa.org/encyclopedia
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Hurwitz, Sara, Rabbi Dov Linzer, and Dina Najman
"Empowerment: Exploring Models of Halakhic Authority," Hurwitz, Sara, Rabbi Dov Linzer, and Dina Najman. JOFA 6th International Conference.
Synopsis: In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in the Orthodox community with the acceptance of women in new leadership roles some originally conceived and some traditionally thought to be the sole purview of men. How has this shift affected the community and its view of authority? In many arenas, the relationship between religious leader/rabbi and congregant/student is being redefined. Explore a range of rabbinic views on the role of authority in the Orthodox community and hear from women who have assumed innovative positions in their communities.
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Wimpfheimer, Rabbi Dr. Barry
"Rabbi May I? Taking Responsibility for P'sak in Feminist Age," Wimpfheimer, Rabbi Dr. Barry. JOFA 6th International Conference.
Synopsis: Does halakha require us to cede all decision making to rabbis? What are the implications of doing so? This session analyzes the history, as well as case studies, behind our modern understandings of p'sak. Rabbi Wimpfheimer then develops a model that encourages personal responsibility in halakhic decision making.
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ADDITIONAL READING
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Adler, Eliana R.
"Reading Rayna Batya: The Rebellious Rebbetzin as Self-Reflection," Adler, Eliana R.. Nashim, 16, October, 2008, 130-152.
Synopsis: This paper seeks to examine the life and contemporary afterlife of the nineteenth-century Rebbetzin Rayna Batya Berlin.
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Broyde, Michael
"Orthodox Women Clergy?," Broyde, Michael. The Jewish Press, July 22, 2009.
Synopsis: R. Broyde discusses women's role as Orthodox clergy and encourages proper training of women to fulfill clerical roles.
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Feldman, Estelle
"A Delicate Balance: The Role of the Rebbetzin," Feldman, Estelle. Jewish Action, Winter, 2008.
Synopsis: The author discusses the reality of being the wife of a pulpit rabbi.
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Friedman, Moshe Y'chiail
"Women in the Rabbinate," Friedman, Moshe Y'chiail. Jewish Observer, 17:8, 1984, 28-29.
Synopsis: This articles suggests that it is antithethical to Orthodox Judaism for women to serve in the rabbinate. He argues against sociological standards setting the stage for the determination of halakha.
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Greenberg, Blu
"Will There be Orthodox Women Rabbis?," Greenberg, Blu. Judaism, 1990, 23-33.
Synopsis: This article presents the question of women taking on expanding communal roles, especially roles in the rabbinate.
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Hirschfeld, Brad
"Is a Men-Only Rabbinate Ethical," Hirschfeld, Brad. The Jewish Week, July 22, 2009.
Synopsis: R. Hirschfeld proposes that whether the clergy is male-only or not is not necessarily a question of ethics.
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Hurwitz, Sara
"Rabbanit Reclaimed," Hurwitz, Sara. JOFA Journal, VI, 1, 2006, 10-11.
Synopsis: Sara Hurwitz describes her role as madricha ruchanit for the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, showing that there is a place for women to act as a “rabbinic” figure within Orthodoxy.
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Hurwitz, Sara
"Orthodox Women in Rabbinic Roles," Hurwitz, Sara. New Jewish Feminism: Probing the Past, Forging the Future, Goldstein, Elyse, ed., 2009, 144-154.
Synopsis: Mahara"t Hurwitz discusses Orthodox women assuming rabbinic roles from a functional perspective. She also discusses the obstacles to women who wish to pursue such a path.
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Hurwitz, Sara
"Speech at the Conferral Ceremony of Sara Hurwitz," Hurwitz, Sara. , March 22, 2009.
Synopsis: This is the text of the speech given by Mahara"t Sara Hurwitz at her conferral ceremony.
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Landau-Chark, Susan J.
"Whither the Rebbetzin in the Twenty-first Century?," Landau-Chark, Susan J.. Women in Judaism: Contemporary Writings, 2000.
Synopsis: This article presents a historical exploration of the role of the rabbinical wife into the 21st century.
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Maroof, Joshua
"Speech at the Conferral Ceremony of Sara Hurwitz," Maroof, Joshua. Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, March 22, 2009.
Synopsis: This is the text of the speech given by R. Joshua Maroof at Mahara"t Sara Hurwitz' conferral ceremony.
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Ner-David, Haviva
"Breaking the Glass Mehitza," Ner-David, Haviva. Hadassah Magazine, May 2004, page 19.
Synopsis: Haviva Ner-David explains why she feels smikha for women should become an accepted practice in the Orthodox community.
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Rackman, Emanuel
"Suggestions for Alternatives," Rackman, Emanuel. Judaism, 33,1, 1990, 66-69.
Synopsis: This article promotes an expansion of women's learning at the highest levels, rather than a focus on obtaining the title of rabbi.
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Rubin Schwartz, Shuly
"Ambassadors Without Portfolio? The Religious Leadership of Rebbetzins in Late-Twentieth-Century American Jewish Life in Women and American Judaism: Historical Perspectives," Rubin Schwartz, Shuly. Women and American Judaism: Historical Perspectives, Nadell ,Pamela S. and Sarna, Jonathan D., eds., 2001, 235-265.
Synopsis: The author presents a study of a group of rabbis wives that examined the ways in which their status as rebbetzin deepened their effectiveness as religious Jewish leaders.
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Seidler-Feller, Chaim
"Female Rabbis, Male Fears," Seidler-Feller, Chaim. Judaism, 33,1, 1990, 79-84.
Synopsis: In this article, Chaim Seidler-Feller suggests that women becoming ordained as part of the rabbinate is not a function of halakha, but rather one of attitude.
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Wolowelsky, Joel B.
"Rabbis, Rebbetzins and Halakhic Advisors," Wolowelsky, Joel B.. Tradition, 36:4, 2002, pp. 54-63.
Synopsis: In explaining the value and defending the position of yo'atzot halakha, women's halakhic advisors - as trained in Nishmat in Jerusalem for the purpose of advising women in the laws of niddah, Dr. Wolowelsky discusses the possibility of women functioning as rabbis for a variety of communal services.
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Berkowitz, Adena, Rabbi Adam Mintz
"Rabbinic Ordination," Berkowitz, Adena, Rabbi Adam Mintz. JOFA 2nd International Conference. 1998.
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Freundel, Sharon, and Rivkah Y. Lambert, Aviva Tessler
"The Rebbetzin's Role," Freundel, Sharon, and Rivkah Y. Lambert, Aviva Tessler. JOFA 2nd International Conference. 1998.
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Deutsch, Nathaniel and Bardach, Janusz
The Maiden of Ludmir: A Jewish Holy Woman and Her World. Deutsch, Nathaniel and Bardach, Janusz. University of California Press, 2003.
Synopsis: A biography of Hanna Werbermacher.
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Goldstein, Elyse, Ed.
Women's Torah Commentary: New Insights. Goldstein, Elyse, Ed.. Jewish Lights Publishing, April 2000.
Synopsis: In this book, more than 50 women come together to offer their own inspiring commentaries on the Torah, in a week-by-week format.
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Grossman, Susan and Haut, Rivka, eds.
Daughters of the King: Women and the Synagogue. Grossman, Susan and Haut, Rivka, eds.. JPS, 1992.
Synopsis: Daughters of the King explains women's involvement in and around the synagogue from its antecedents in the biblical period to contemporary times. Susan Grossman and Rivka Haut have added their experiences and studies to those of other scholars and religious thinkers. The section of personal vignettes contains essays on being a rabbi, being a rebbetzin, on being a cantor.
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Rubin Schwartz, Shuly
The Rabbi's Wife: The Rebbetzin in American Jewish Life. Rubin Schwartz, Shuly. , 2006.
Synopsis: The Rabbi's Wife highlights the unique contributions of rebbetzins to the development of American Jewry.
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Winkler, Gershon, Ed. Et al
They Called Her Rebbe, the Maiden of Ludmir. Winkler, Gershon, Ed. Et al. Judaica Press, Inc., October 1990.
Synopsis: A biography of Hanna Werbermacher.
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New sources are continually being added to JOFA.org. Check back often!
If you have a submission you would like us to consider, send it to
website@jofa.org.
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