socialmedian: Thirty-five years of women in charge

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Thirty-five years of women in charge | Jonathan Romain

Source: The Guardian

Nov 08, 2009

Summary

Catholics and Anglicans can draw important lessons from Judaism's journey towards accepting female rabbis

The parallels are astonishing. For centuries rabbis had been male. In Jewish life, women deserved respect, but it was men who had been the guardians of tradition.

Suddenly women wanted to become rabbis. What was even more confusing is that they did not base their claim just on grounds of equity or human rights but on religious reasons.

They cited women in leadership roles in the Bible, such as Miriam and Deborah. They pointed out that many of the tasks of a minister – such as teaching or tending the sick – were traditionally occupied by women.

For Orthodox synagogues – as with the Catholic church – this was simply not an option. Those in power had long ago decreed that while women were equal in the sight of God, they were not equal in religious responsibilities and it would be a dishonour for men to have even a learned and pious women in a position of authority over them.

For Reform and Liberal synagogues – the Anglicans of Judaism, if you like – the issue was

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