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Early Intervention, Pre-School,
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for Children with Special Needs,
such as Attention and Behavioral Concerns
counted in the minyan, we counted
them. Here they read Torah,
haftorah, lead services, give d'vrei
Torah commentaries.
Developmental, Educational and Psychological
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Comprehensive, Individualized Programs
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Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(248) 476-4515
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the coming year be filled with health, happiness
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frie
2lappg 21e1V - Year
9/29
2000
R26
— Weintraub Jewelers
Yetta and Danny Weintraub
Other local congregations have total
inclusion of women in service-partici-
pation.
"Women participate fully in Adat
Shalom services," says Rabbi Daniel
Nevins. "Should we ever need to hire
more clergy, Adat Shalom would be
delighted to welcome a woman rabbi
or cantor."
At Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
women participate in everything,"
says Rabbi Joseph Krakoff. "Usually
the cantor leads services, but a once-
a-month congregation-participation
service includes women" at the
Southfield synagogue. The annual
Sisterhood Shabbat service is entire-
ly women-led. At B'nai Israel, the
West Bloomfield branch of Shaarey
Zedek, where there is no cantor,
women share bimah participation.
At Congregation Beth Ahm,
women's full participation in the
service came nearly all at once.
"Here they conduct services, have
aliyot, give d'vrei Torah, read Torah
and haftorah and are counted in the
minyan," says Rabbi Charles Popky.
But that wasn't the case less than
four years ago. Former Beth Ahm
Rabbi Aaron Bergman says when he
began as senior rabbi of the synagogue
in 1996, women could read haftorah
and megillot, but they were not
involved with ark openings or aliyot.
Although changes made at that time
were based on a board of directors
vote, he says, "I was behind instigat-
ing it. I pushed it and we went fully
egalitarian."
"
Choices
Reinforcing the issue that each con-
gregation makes the changes that
are comfortable for their rabbis and
memberships, B'nai Moshe did not
become totally egalitarian.
"We have maintained tradition in
the strictest sense, with respect to
shaliach tzibbur, the prayer leader, a
position which remains open only to
a man. Men are clearly obligated to
fulfill that obligation, but women
may or may not be," Rabbi Pachter
says.
Prior to B'nai Moshe's recent
vote, women took part in most
other religious and lay leadership
roles.
"Women at B'nai Moshe are very
visible on the bimah during the ser-
vice," Rabbi Pachter says. "I think
our Shabbat morning service has felt
inclusionary for a long time. Our
synagogue was among the first to
have women reading Torah," he
says. "We have had full participation
in the Torah service for years. The
only change here is counting women
in our minyan."
At B'nai Moshe, the rabbi may
grant permission for a ritual change,
such as the issue of women in the
minyan. Two years ago, Rabbi
Pachter decided against that change.
"I did a lot of soul-searching," he
says. "Some people in the congrega-
tion felt it was really important. I
have respect for those who didn't
want it."
With his stance, Rabbi Pachter
follows the philosophy of the
Rambam (Maimonides), who
defined a minyan as 10 free adult
Jews based on social status, not one's
obligatory status. On that basis,
Rabbi Pachter asked the board this
year to examine the issue and vote
on whether to change the syna-
gogue's policy.
At B'nai Moshe, Rabbi Pachter sees
a sense of a healthy balance of egali-
tarianism and tradition. "I would still
like that to continue," he says. "I
think that having choices in the com-
munity, even within the same move-
ment is important. There is some
value in being different and some in
holding on to the practice sustaining
us for so many years."
❑