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THE
JEWISH NEWS
read from the Torah. But sever- for women. Whether for socio-
al do not count women in a logical reasons or due to a long-
time custom of men-only on the
minyan.
Beth Israel of Flint, Beth Is- bimah, Rabbi Epstein says a con-
rael of Ann Arbor, Oak Park's gregation may choose not to af-
Beth Shalom, Congregation ford women equal worship
privileges. Such a con-
Shaarey Zedek in South-
gregation may acknowl-
field and West Bloomfield
Rabbi Aaron
and the Isaac Agree Bergman is thrilled edge that there is "no
Downtown Synagogue in that women will halachic impediment,"
now participate
but say, "'it isn't right for
Detroit afford female
us. ,,,
equally on the
members full worship
bimah.
For those who observe
privileges, including aliy-
Halachah, allowing
ot and being counted in a
women to read from the Torah or
minyan.
Adat Shalom in Farmington be counted in minyan is "a com-
Hills and B'nai Moshe in West plex issue," Rabbi Epstein says.
He paraphrases a talmudic
Bloomfield allow women to read
from the Torah but do not count tractate which states that all
them in a minyan. And Beit Jews may read from the Torah,
Kodesh in Livonia counts women including women, but women
in a women's minyan but not in don't, because the congregation
would not be comfortable with
a mixed minyan.
The Conservative movement such a move. Rabbi Epstein says
as a whole does not have a stan- Conservative Jews in favor of
dard policy regarding women on calling women to the Torah
the bimah, says Rabbi Jerome M. might interpret the passage as a
Epstein, executive vice president sociological statement, with egal-
and chief executive officer of the itarian decisions based on con-
United Synagogue of Conserva- text. Those who oppose the idea
would insist that the tractate is
tive Judaism.
`The policy is one of pluralism law.
Rabbi Steven Weil of Young
in which the rabbi, as the spiri-
tual leader of the congregation, Israel of Oak Park says the ha-
has to help set the direction for lachic prohibition against women
the congregation. Congregations, reading Torah on the bimah can
with their rabbis, have to inter- be found in the Talmud, tractate
pret what is their appropriate in- Megillah, 23A.
"The reading of the Torah is
terpretation of Halachah (Jewish
a re-enactment of the Mt. Sinai
law)."
A recent national study con- experience. That's why we need
ducted by the Conservative a minyan for it; it was a public
movement shows a continued event," Rabbi Weil explains. 'The
trend toward egalitarianism. Of Talmud asks: If that's the case,
those surveyed, 84 percent of why can't women and children
men and 85 percent of women fa- [read from the Torah]?"
The answer is: "kavod hatsi-
vored women's complete partici-
pation in the synagogue. A bur — which means you choose
greater gap appeared, however, someone from the community
on the issue of hiring a woman who reflects the obligation of tsi-
rabbi — 65 percent of men. and bur," Rabbi Weil says. "Men re-
flect the system of 613 mitzvot;
74 percent of women approved.
Across the country, Conserva- women are not obligated in as
tive synagogues exhibit egalitar- many mitzvot."
But he emphasizes that there
ianism in varying degrees, "from
allowing women to have some is "no such thing as a man or
roles along with men to having woman being more holy. This
is strictly a legal statement
complete equality," Rabbi Ep-
not a philosophical statement.
stein says.
Sometimes, despite a rabbi's Women are not less Jewish, God
green light, a congregation may forbid.' LI
object to expanded worship rights