S YOU Samantha Lee Jahr, Benjamin Eugene Lambert, Joshua David Levinson, Jared Daniel Monchnik, Rachel Eliana Pernick, Kenneth James Selander, Lana Rae Stern, Mallory Tamar Stoddard, Jeffrey Bernard Stone, Mark Jacob Tarnowsky, William J. Weinger and Darren Blake Weiss. Orthodox Roles For Women NEW YORK (JTA) — The leading Modern Orthodox rabbinic association has adopted a position against ordina- tion of women while encouraging the creation of "halachically and commu- nally appropriate professional oppor- tunities" for female scholars. The Rabbinical Council of America adopted the resolution during a three- day conference that began May 8 in Scarsdale, N.Y. The resolution comes just months after the near ordination of a female rabbi by one of the RCA's highest-profile members drew a sharp rebuke from the haredi Orthodox lead- ership of Agudath Israel of America. The resolution cites commitment to sacred continuity in stating that the organization cannot accept either the ordination of women or the recognition of women as members of the Orthodox rabbinate, regardless of the title. But it stops short of sanctioning or expelling members who violate the policy — a move being urged by some rabbis who were upset over the recent actions of RCA member Rabbi Avi Weiss. Weiss sparked outrage in January when he conferred the title of "rabba" — a feminized version of rabbi — on Sara Hurwitz, a member of the cleri- cal staff of his New York synagogue, the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. Following the Agudah condemnation and discussions with RCA officials, Weiss said he did not intend to confer the rabba title on anyone else, saying Orthodox unity was of more pressing importance. The RCA resolution notes that young Orthodox women are now being reared, educated, and inspired by mothers, teachers and mentors who are themselves beneficiaries of advanced women's Torah education, and it embraces the idea of such schol- ars assuming communal roles. As members of the new generation rise to positions of influence and stat- ure, the resolution states, we pray that they will contribute to an ever-broad- ening and ever-deepening wellspring of Torah study, religious commitment and observance of mitzvot. RCA officials say the resolution was adopted without opposition. They declined to outline the specific duties that fall under the rubric of rabbi, saying the resolution sought to set out broad parameters while leaving a degree of latitude to RCA members. Israeli Conversion Bill NEW YORK (JTA) — U.S. Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist movements warn that a proposed Israeli conversion bill is "disastrous to the unity of the Jewish people." Knesset members from the Yisrael Beiteinu party were in the U.S. trying to marshal support for a bill that would change the conversion pro- cess in Israel. While the bill's proponents say it would make it easier for the estimated 350,000 to 400,000 non-Jewish Israelis from the Russian-speaking immigrant community to convert to Judaism and marry in Israel, critics say the bill threatens to alter the Law of Return and consolidate conversion power in the hands of the Chief Rabbinate. That "could have devastating effects on the relationship between Israeli and Diaspora Jewry," the main non- Orthodox Jewish streams in the U.S. said in a statement. "Such concen- tration of powers in favor of ultra- Orthodox Jewry effectively negates the roles of the non-Orthodox movements both within Israel and abroad, sending the message that only the Orthodox have a place within our homeland." The statement said the legislation, which is being promoted by Knesset member David Rotem, would revive the destructive debate over who is a Jew and turn the clock back on 20 years of accomplishments in the Israeli Supreme Court asserting the legiti- macy of non-Orthodox movements. "The bill mentions no alterna- tive method of conversion via non- Orthodox streams:' the statement said. "We — and more importantly, our Israeli colleagues and their law- yers — believe that this language, if adopted as written, would further marginalize and hamper the Masorti and Reform movements in Israel. This would be a tragic consequence as we offer vibrant religious alternatives to a nation of Jews religiously alienated by the increasingly extreme positions of a minority religious establishment." Rotem said non-Orthodox streams in the U.S. should not be anxious about the bill. "I want them not to worry it's going to harm them',' he said. "This law doesn't deal with conversions done abroad. 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