Photo Credit:

A true egalitarian cannot countenance roles. A true egalitarian wants to eliminate roles. They see the sexes as completely equal in every respect. And if your religion denies that – it is deemed wrong and to be discarded.

Traditional Jewish roles should certainly not be undermined by movements that do not respect it.

Advertisement




But Rabba Berkowitz and other sincere women like her have been convinced by their leaders that they can pursue egalitarian goals despite all of that. They have been given assurances that their desire to serve God in the way they chose is perfectly fine.

That said, there has been a tolerance of some of these innovations by the right – even where there was disagreement with them. Things like Women’s Teffilah Groups though frowned upon did not de-legitimize them from Orthodoxy. But they have long since moved way beyond that with things like ordaining women.  And this does not even touch the highly problematic tolerance of Apikursus within their midst. (Which was the deal breaker for me.)

So even while this movement seems to be expanding, It is not expanding as a part of Orthodoxy. Without the imprimatur of a Rav Soloveitchik, a Rav Lichtenstein or a Rav Hershel Shachter, they are on their own.


Share this article on WhatsApp:
Advertisement

1
2
3
SHARE
Previous articleThe Fault in Our Tent: The Limit of Speech
Next articleJerusalem Police Nab 7 Local Arabs in Attacks on Jews in Armon HaNatziv
Harry Maryles runs the blog "Emes Ve-Emunah" which focuses on current events and issues that effect the Jewish world in general and Orthodoxy in particular. It discuses Hashkafa and news events of the day - from a Centrist perspctive and a philosphy of Torah U'Mada. He can be reached at [email protected].