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presents

Noa and Gil Dor in Concert

Wednesday, February 8 - 8:00 p.m.

West Bloomfield High School • 4925 Orchard Lake Road

West Bloomfield, Michigan

Inner Circle Reserved Section: $25.00
Senior/Student: $12.00
General Admission: $18.00

This program is sponsored by the JCC and funded in part by the Manny and Natalie Charach Endowment
Fund of the JCC, The Irwin and Sadie Cohn Fund and the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation.
Co-Sponsored by The Jewish News.
This performance is presented in conjunction with the Mid East/West Fest International
Community Cultural Exchange whose major sponsors are the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and
Lufthansa. Other generous sponsors are Hudson's and the Dayton Hudson Foundation;
Ben Teite! Charitable Trust, Gerald Cook Trustee.

For more information call the JCC at (810) 661-7634 or (810) 661-7632.

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"But, as time went on, people
be cast aside simply to accom-
modate what is politically correct. got used to it and came to enjoy
They remember going to it," Ms. Rosman says. "I'm de-
Shachrit and Ma'ariv services lighted (about counting women
with their fathers. They liked it in minyans). I'm the mother of
a daughter and a son and I'm
that way.
Twenty-two years ago, Rabbi thrilled. For there to be continu-
Groner's position was far differ- ity, there must be change."
Within the Conservative
ent from what it is today. In a
1973 issue of The Jewish News, movement, women have as-
he expressed "a lack of enthusi- sumed more and more roles tra-
asm" for the Assembly's ruling. ditionally reserved for men. For
"By implying that equality of years, they have been allowed to
Jewish men and women is to be read from the Torah, and 10 •
understood as similarity
of religious roles and du-
ties, this decision acceler-
ates the attack on the
Jewish home," he said.
"However, the Conser-
vative movement is not
monolithic and provides
freedom for divergent
viewpoints. The conse-
quences of this decision
will, therefore, be dis-
closed with the passage of
time by those congrega-
tions that choose to follow
it."
More than two decades
later, Rabbi Groner ex-
plains how his position
changed. In a speech and
subsequent letter to his Rabbi Irwin Groner
congregants, the 62-year-
old rabbi said that the roles of years ago the Rabbinical
women in modern-day society Assembly permitted the ordina-
tion of female rabbis. There are
have changed drastically.
"Some scholars believe that 57 Conservative women rabbis
the reason for women's exemp- in the world, 54 in the United
tion was to relieve a woman of States. Counting women in
obligations that would be diffi- minyans is part of a logical pro-
cult for her to fulfill as wife, moth- gression, Conservative rabbis
er and homemaker," he said. say.
Even so, Conservative congre-
"This reason, if indeed it is cor-
rect, has little justification today. gations like Beth Abraham Hillel
"In our age of labor-saving de- Moses in West Bloomfield
vices, a woman who is a home- haven't embraced the practice.
maker and takes care of a family Rabbi Aaron Bergman thinks it's
has at least as much free time only a matter of time.
"I have two little girls myself,"
as her husband who is a worker,
businessman or professional. The he says. "I want them to have the
women who is gainfully em- option of enjoying all aspects of
ployed outside the home is in ex- Judaism, and I think it's the
actly the same position as her morally right thing to do."
So why hasn't Beth Abraham
male counterpart."
Rabbi Groner has concluded Hillel Moses adopted the custom?
Senior Rabbi Irving Schnipper,
that enabling women to take part
in a minyan will fortify not only who opposed the Rabbinical
individual women but Judaism Assembly's ruling in 1973, is out
at large. He hopes this decision of town and was unavailable for
will motivate young women who comment. Says Rabbi Bergman:
"A lot of it has to do with tra-
"are especially eager to take part
in Jewish life at the synagogue. dition," he says. "(Congregants')
mothers never did it. Their
I wanted to encourage them."
Rabbi Groner's decision, which grandmothers never did it. I
came as little surprise to most think it's resistance to change in
congregants, seems to have cre- general."
At Shaarey Zedek, the minyan
ated few waves at Shaarey
Zedek, say members Marvin rules will officially change on
March 15, the night of Purim.
Schwedel and Sheldon Larky.
On Purim, Rabbi Groner says,
"The question over the past
few years here was not 'if,' but "we celebrate the brave heroine
`when,' " Mr. Larky said. "I of the holiday.
"It is singularly appropriate
haven't heard a single bit of con-
that we introduce this new prac-
troversy."
Sisterhood President Rusty tice at a time when the tradition
Rosman is pleased. She remem- itself validates the equal role of
bers years ago when women women in the religious life of the
made their debut in Shaarey Jewish people.
Zedek's choir. An unsettling gasp
"It is a change," he says "for
arose from congregants.
the better." ❑