A few small corners of the Jewish world are outraged at the October 30 resolution by the Rabbinical Council of America that its Orthodox members and institutions may not ordain women as rabbis, or hire women to serve as rabbis — and by the subsequent November 2 edict by the ultra-Orthodox Agudath Israel that “Open Orthodox” rabbis may not be regarded as rabbis at all.
Both statements are strong rebuffs to Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and its spiritual leader, Rabbi Avi Weiss, who have ordained women as quasi-rabbis. And the RCA’s in particular is yet another indication that it is not hospitable to efforts to move Orthodox Judaism forward, especially on issues of women’s leadership. For my friends in this denomination within a denomination, it is a blow.
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