It's one thing when you disagree with an issue, express that and advance an argument in favor of your POV.It an entirely other thing when you purely and persistently mock young idealistic and sincere religious leaders.
To read pure disrespect without a point to be found in it, see the blog posted at the Jewish Week under the rubric "Route 17: Associate Editor Jonathan Mark on Just About Everything" with the mocking title, "A Rabbi Named Sue."
For another strong view on this issue see the essay by Leora Tanenbaum, (author of "Taking Back God: American Women Rising Up for Religious Equality") -- 'A Rabbi Is Not a "Rabbi" in the Jewish Orthodox Twilight Zone', Huff Post. She concludes with this flourish:
Hurwitz is already a role model and many people will come to regard her, if they don't already, as a Judaic authority. If now is not the right time to call female rabbis "rabbis," then when?Well Leora how about, Never!
Orthodoxy defines itself as a boys' club. It's not some peripheral value. We've argued for naught over women's issues in Orthodoxy. Forget about it.
Want to be a woman rabbi? Join up with the Reform, Reconstructionist or Conservative movements where you will be welcomed. End of story.
It's hard to read your tone in this post, and certainly a little startling to see someone describe themselves as belonging to an old boys' club when not hopeful for change... could you elaborate a little more? If you're up for it, I'd like to hear more of your thoughts on this issue. You could email, too, if you wanted to not be super-public... it's a matter that's been bothering/confusing me a lot lately, and that's why I ask.
ReplyDeleteour tone is mixed on this issue because there are two concerns intermeshed here. first the underlying definition of orthodoxy - which for this post we stipulate to be a boy's club. i'm not going to bang my head on that wall anymore - it hurts too much after 40 years of fruitless efforts. the other issue is the mocking tone of some journalists and the utter naivete of others... that's mainly what we comment on here. email me direct to continue discussion if you like...
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