„
It was all about that title ra bba. The expe-
rience, Hurwitz says, taught her a great deal
about the power of language, observing that the
Orthodox community had a strong and negative
reaction to any "`R-B-sounding' title."
According to Rabbi Alon Tolwin, direc-
tor of Aish Detroit, an outreach organization
that brings religion to Judaisin's more secular
corners, the concept of a female Orthodox rabbi
does not exist.
"Simply put, as there cannot be a kosher
clam, there cannot be a female rabbi. This is not
because there is anything wrong or lacking in
womanhood or rabbi-hood. The two are simply
not compatible," he stated in an email.
Rabba Sara Hurwitz
"That said, in addressing someone who claims to
be an adherent of Halachah, and yet calls herself
a rabbi, I would ask her how she can feel comfortable doing something which
upsets a tradition which is thousands of years old, is contrary to all halachic
principle and something we clearly don't want to set as a standard goal for our
-
daughters:"
Of course, not all Orthodox rabbis agree with such a black and white _position„._
"Rabbi means teaCW:i*ItibbiEliezer Cohen, spiritual leader''; of congre-
gation Or Chadash of Oakrirk/Huntington Woods and an instructor at Akiva
Hebrew Day School in Southfield; Akio, is Detroit's only Modern Orthodox day
school.
"There is no reason I see that a female can't teach, and as far as leading a con-
gregation, there is nothing I can see halachically precluding a woman from lead-
ing a congregation. I think the controversy over the linguistics of its rather silly
"Whatever her fianction -- it shouldn't make any difference whk she is called
there are plenty of people who are not qualified out there who arc called rab-
bis," Cohen says. "Semichali nowadays is nothing more than an ackiOwledgement
that someone is qualified, in terms of knowledge, ability and loyal to Jewish
tradition."
erself as a
The rabba is not immune to the criticism; nor does she look upd
p within
pioneer. Rather, she believes in the rightness of her clerical mem
the parameters that are set forth according to Torah law. "Which nkeans there are
three things a woman cannot do," she acknowledged.
According to Orthodox Jewish law, a woman (ergo, Hurwitz) maynbt_count in
a minyan (quorum of 10 men required for prayer), serve as a witness be part of a
Jewish court °flaw or lead certain parts of religious services.
ys she
Not only is Hurwitz not challenging any of these regulations, s
t me from
readily accepts them, with the caveat that "those things do not pr
functioning like a sall.bi."
-='"To-'-tha'e end, the rabba serves as a fill Member of the clergy at HIR;includ-
ing teaching and speaking from the pulpit (HIR has what, Hurwitz describes,
an "advanced architecture," with a raised bimah in the center of the room, and,
therefore, separated from both the women's and the men's sections.)
But it's the chance to participate in lifecycle events that means the most to her.
Hurwitz, who is married and the mother of three boys, says it's "a real honor
to be allowed into people's lives, to knoW that they invest their trust with me and
allow me to help them."
She was initially concerned that even those who identified as Modern Orthodox
might be a bit wary of having a womari -serve as rabbi when they are most in pain,
or afraid or even breathlessly happy j„.
She was wrong.
"The more I go out into the communities, the less threatening they realize I
am," Hurwitz says.

A SPACE AND A PLACE.
In the summer of 2009, Weiss andEurwitz took strides to make certain that
the path toward Orthodox women's spiritual leadership could truly have, as Hur-
witz is fond of saying, "a space and a place."
A full-page ad in New York's Jewish Week newspaper heraldeilAlic opening of
Yeshivat Maharat, an institution of Jewish learning for women whO self-identify
as Orthodox and wish to serve in positions of spiritual leadership. Almost im-
mediately, they_received 35 applications.
"We realized that there were women who were thirsting for serious learning,"
Hurwitz says, "but they didn't want to only learn, they wanted to serve in the
community."
Hurwitz is quick to point out that there already exist several Orthodox women
who already serve as spiritual leaders, albeit with different titles — and at least
two of whom have a Detroit connection. Dina Najman, who grew up in South-
field, has served as rosh kehilah (head of congregation) for Kehilat Orach Eliezer
— located on New York's Upper West Side — since 2006.
Rachel Kohl Finegold, education and ritual director at Chicago's Anshe Sholom
B'nai Israel Congregation, as well as being a student at Yeshivat Maharat, is
the daughter of Chaye Kohl, education director of Akiva Hebrew Day School in
Southfield.
Kohl, who attended Hurwitz's April lecture, offered her opinion on the idea of
Orthodox women — like her daughter — taking on spiritual leadership positions:
"When women study Halachah with as much depth and devotion as some are do-
ing today," Kohl notes, "then they are taking the next logical step — it is that they
be consulted, first by their peers, and then by the larger community, for halachic
decisions."
With four students currently enrolled in their second year at Yeshivat Maharat
(located at HIR), Hurwitz is actively visiting communities around North Amer-
ica, testing the waters to see what poSitions might be available for her students
once they graduate.
It bears mentioning that, as part of an agreement reached with the RCA, it
was determined that Yeshivat Maharat graduates will be given the title maharat,
and not rabba. Hurwitz, however, will retain her title, and notes that while her
yeshivah will not confer the title rabba, "that doesn't discount the idea that hiring
institutions will call our graduates rabba. I hope that "rabba" will catch on," she
added.
But will it catch on in Detroit? That remains to be seen. Chaye Kohl believes
that "the organized Detroit Modern Orthodox community is more traditional/
conservative in outlook than Modern Orthodox communities in other parts of
the country. It will take some time for Detroit to feel comfortable with a woman
as rosh kehilah."
The reluctance of several local Orthodox rabbis and laypeople to comment for
this article certainly supports this argument.
Perhaps the diverse crowd of 130 women and men, who gathered on a rainy
spring night to hear Rabba Hurwitz speak (young and old, from all denomina-

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