„ 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- www.redthreadmagazine.com People are talking with the r the past 13 years Steve 8t. 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