Women do not have sufficient opportunities for leadership roles within the Modern Orthodox community. This program is JOFA’s newest expression of our commitment to advancing women’s leadership. We are confident that the JOFA Fellows will contribute to strengthening the Jewish community.

The leadership seminar will focus on program development, as well as negotiation of the challenges of being a feminist in the Orthodox community and an Orthodox Jew on a progressive campus. Each Fellow will be provided with a stipend and funds and organizational support for programming on her campus. Fellows will also be paired with mentors from the JOFA Board. The cohort of JOFA Fellows will form a supportive network, empowering them to effect change on their campus and beyond.

The program also reaches beyond the Fellows themselves, as other students on their campuses will be engaged in programs where they seriously discuss ways to create a Modern Orthodoxy that offers more opportunities for women within the framework of halakha and shows sensitivity to issues of gender.

For PDF,  JOFA Campus Fellowship Press Release 7 30 10

In view of my education and upbringing, one might question whether my efforts on a book advocating for greater participation of woman in communal prayer is a case of ‘sour grapes’. However, that would get me all wrong.  In fact, the more I mull over this problem in Modern Orthodox life, the more I feel that the question of why include women in communal prayer should be replaced by a far better question – namely, why not?

In putting this book together, I strongly advocated that JOFA adopt a scholarly stance and include contributions that support women reading from the Torah and playing a greater role within the service, as well as those opposed to these innovative practices.

From the perspective of editor, I hope the book will be seen as a first step in an effort to reframe some of the key terms that are used in virtually all legal discussions that address the possibility of enhancing women’s participation in religious practice. This ranges from minyanim to teaching, shofar to shul leadership.  Current halakhic terminology forces people to use words and react to ideas that do not accurately speak to the minds and hearts of many people who are fully committed to Orthodoxy today.  I can only hope that publication of this book and its widespread dissemination in the community will provide an opportunity to develop new terms for this debate that reflect modern sensibilities. Redefining the meaning of phrases like sexual immodesty and the debasement of mitzvot by women’s participation in ritual observance, terms that may no longer resonate with the thoughts and ideas of most people who would contemplate participating in a minyan with increased women’s involvement, would be an important first step in broadening the discussion and inviting new participants into this dialogue.  I am not advocating replacing the objectivity of halakha with human subjectivity or adopting a totally new worldview of observance. I think introducing modern terms to discuss the ramifications of including women in tefilla can be accomplished without betraying the integrity of halakha.  I hope that readers of the book keep these thoughts in mind as they work their way through this scholarly anthology.

At the same time, we are disappointed that the RCA rejected the ordination of women as Orthodox Rabbis or as members of the Orthodox rabbinate.  While not unexpected, we are puzzled by this conclusion, as no compelling halakhic analysis has been articulated that prohibits women from serving in these roles.  The contributions made by committed, learned women serving the community speak most eloquently to their appropriateness as religious leaders.  Over time, we expect that their record will outweigh the concerns that had a significant impact on this decision.

We, together with the RCA, believe that women contribute to the vibrancy of Orthodoxy and that Jewish life is enriched by having women in positions of influence and stature within our community.  We look forward to partnering with the RCA to develop a strategy for the expansion of women’s leadership roles.

In another resolution passed at this same convention, the RCA noted the reality of different ideologies within Orthodoxy and stated, “We respect their right to differ in the spirit of אלו ואלו דברי אלוהים חיים  (these and these are the words of the Living God).”  In this spirit and with respect, we continue to support the aspirations of learned, God-fearing women to become authoritative, communal religious leaders.

To download PDF of this statment, click here: Statement on RCA

Letters to RCA Leadership for Website