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106

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1990

Synagogue Combines
Halachah, Women Rights

Boston (JTA) — Women
reading the Torah, giving
the Saturday sermon and
participating in the Talmud
class may not be news to
most Reform and Conser-
vative synagogues, but it is a
novelty in the Orthodox
community. Nevertheless,
that is exactly what is
taking place at the Orthodox
synagogue Shaarei-Tefillah
of Newton, Mass.
"In no other Orthodox
synagogue I have ever been
involved with could women
participate to the same ex-
tent," says Rochelle Isserow,
a member and frequent par-
ticipant.
Synagogue President Alan
Feld is quick to point out,
however, that "women par-
ticipate fully within the
framework of Orthodox
Halachah," meaning they do
not lead services, nor read
from the Torah during the
regular service.
As in all Orthodox con-
gregations, men and women
sit separately during ser-
vices, but during lectures
and classes there is mixed
seating.
Women's participation at
Congregation Shaarei-
Tefillah has included giving
Shabbat morning and after-
noon sermons, as well as on
special occasions such as
during the all-night study
session that accompanies the
holiday of Shavuot.
These sermons are always
on religious issues and
always gender neutral,
"with no distinction in the
subject matter," Mr. Feld
says.
On the holiday of Simchat
Torah and at a bat mitzvah,
there are women's services
where women read from the
Torah. While men are free to
observe, and, as Ms. Isserow
says, shep nachas, they do
not participate.
Ms. Isserow, the first
woman to give a Saturday
morning sermon, sees the
participation of women in
the synagogue as a real
benefit to the whole com-
munity.
"Our participation," she
said, "provides credibility to
women as serious thinkers
on Torah." Ms. Isserow be-
lieves that women's par-
ticipation makes them
better role models, par-
ticularly to the young men of
that community.
Mr. Feld explains that
women's participation has
been successful because of
the high level of education in

the congregation. "Men and
women in the community
are yeshiva graduates," says
Mr. Feld, "so we are starting
with a group of people who
are knowledgeable in re-
ligious matters."
Many of the women are
also professionals, which
makes them more willing to
take a leadership position in
the congregation.
"There is a strong tradi-
tion of women learning in
our community," Ms.
Isserow said.
Ms. Isserow explained that
the purpose of the congrega-
tion is not simply to increase
the participation of women,
but "to increase all par-
ticipation."
Mr. Feld concurred, saying
that "our main goal is
preserving as forcefully as
we can the idea of men and
women performing mitzvot."
To do this, Shaarei-
Tefillah has instituted dem-
ocratic reforms to allow all
members of the congregation
to participate equally. This
has included one vote per
person rather than per fami-
ly. What has resulted is an
executive committee that is
gender blind and currently
includes a woman vice pres-
ident.
Although the synagogue
was formed only six years
ago, it has grown con-
siderably over that time and
now includes 90 families.
Halachic decisions for the
congregation, including
those concerning the role of
women, are made by a coun-
cil of members, all of whom
are ordained rabbis.

Israel: Jordan
Snubs Embargo

Jerusalem (JTA) — Jordan
is fully supporting Iraq in
the Persian Gulf crisis and
still permitting ships, planes
and trucks to break the
U.N.-sanctioned blockade by
bringing goods into Iraq,
Israeli officials charge.
"Ten years of close rela-
tions between Amman and
Baghdad are paying off,"
one informed government
source told the Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency.
Officials also confirmed
reports that there has been
an increase in Jordanian
reconnaissance flights along
the Israeli border with Jor-
dan. Much of the intel-
ligence gained in those
flights reportedly has been
passed to Iraq.