Becoming a tool of a religion is not a "victory". Peddling stupid superstition and lies isn't doing anyone any favours.

I think you meant 'movements' in the third paragraph.

And there's probably a better word than 'movement' in any case.

It's not the titles we should be worried about. It's the role she's actually going to play. If her title, whatever it is, translates into "leader" of any variety, then it does seem to at least fulfill substantially the same position as the word Rabbi. Nothing "lite" about it, to my eyes; they're not calling her, say, "counselor" or "advisor" or some other softened version of leadership. The question ought to be whether the work she's allowed to do will actually be the same work a Rabbi would do.

If the work is the same, the titles will eventually follow, if people want them to do so. Giving out the same title if the work *won't* be the same won't help anybody at all.

It was a bush that gave the Law unto Moses.

/ducks

Maybe we really are worshipping Pandora, given the results.

It's a religion. If you want to reserve a title for men between 6'1 and 6'3 whose names start with a vowel, that's your business. If you don't like it, leave.

Orthodox Judaism is big on gender roles. For both genders. Having a different title for a woman in a traditionally male position seems pretty consistent.

Ah. yes. "Moment" was a typo -- fixed, thanks. But in this context, "movement" is the correct technical term, at least when it comes to the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements. Now that you mention it, though, Orthodox "institutions" is actually a more accurate word to describe (later in that same sentence) those who do not ordain women. So, also fixed. Thanks.

A non Rabbi cannot serve in any number of functions according to either Halachic or Rabbinic law. I really wish the people who commented here would know something about which they speak. It doesn't matter in the least what you think your education or efforts merit for you. Without the ordination you are not a Rabbi and therefore you are automatically excluded from a whole host of duties.

If the rules or tradition of that religion say that women cannot be rabbis, then I suppose they are entitled to it. If Jews want to change the rules so that it becomes possible, I would applaud them; but it's their religion, not a social/civil issue based on legal rights (rabbi is not a civil office). As one poster above says, if a religion wants to restrict access to certain positions to people with a certain characteristic, then it can. It is not worse than demanding belief in a Creator as a precondition for being accepted as part of the flock.

Dear Salon,

It's great to see another story about the Orthodox world's progression toward ordaining women as religious leaders; thanks for putting this out there.

The title also gave me a chuckle; I've been blogging under the name Velveteen Rabbi since 2003, inspired by a Jennifer Berman cartoon of the same name. (I started my blog a few years before applying to rabbinic school myself; I'm now in my fourth year of rabbinic school.)

I guess women across the denominational spectrum want to "run and play with the real rabbis."