Women in Leadership

Sha'alvim for Women just announced that they have appointed a new menahel and dean, and that they wanted the position to be filled by a Rabbi. In response, AddeRabbi shares his thoughts on the lack of leadership positions for women:

Let me begin by stating for the record that there's a real problem that there's no way to recognize a learned Orthodox woman. Before you start with the apologetics, let me state that as a recognized Rabbi, everything I pay in rent and utilities, a substantial chunk of my salary, is taxed at a much lower rate than the rest of my salary. I am eligible for a higher salary because a rabbinical degree is recognized as an advanced degree, usually on the level of a Master's. There are also a number of positions, not just rabbinical positions, open to ordained rabbis. A qualified Orthodox woman gets none of these benefits, even if her job description and education is identical to that of another rabbi, because there's no such thing as semikha for Orthodox women...

...I should note that this has nothing to do with feminism, or equality, or even women getting Orthodox semikha. It's not about granting women a certain 'status', but about finding a way to articulate their qualifications to fill certain jobs and accrue certain benefits that they are fully qualified for and entitled to. Yashrus isn't feminism, is it?

Instead of commenting on this particular case (and as it happens I know the rabbi who they have hired, he is a talented educator), I would like to follow AddeRabbi's lead and add a few thoughts on women entering leadership positions in general.

First, it is important to know that there are some Orthodox female educators and communal leaders who are now receiving parsonage. Some of the graduates of the Drisha Scholar's circle in NY received parsonage in the past and managed to receive equal pay to men who have semicha from the institutions where they worked. Also, a few synagogues have women working in a communal role (such as madricha ruchanit or congregational intern) where I believe one of them may have received parsonage. So, there are a few precedents of such a thing happening without needing to give women semicha. However, these are all individual cases.

Moreover, some women who want to continue their studies and feel that they have achieved something recognizable after their hard work, have opted for the PhD route. The truth is that you have to be interested in academic study of Judaism to follow this path, so it is obviously not for everyone.

Finally, when discussing leadership roles for women, it is also important to think about the needs of the students. Girls like to have someone to look up to. Placing talented women in school leadership positions sends a message to female students that says: Women can learn and teach Torah (or run a Jewish school) alongside being a Jewish wife and mother! It is inspiring and empowering for girls to see a significant position in chinuch available to them as a career option.

Thanks to AddeRabbi for bringing up this important issue on his blog.

Comments

[shanna]

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Women can learn and teach Torah (or run a Jewish school) alongside being a Jewish wife and mother!
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Why not just say: "Women can learn and teach Torah (or run a Jewish school)!" Why do women's roles within Judaism always have to be tied up with being "a wife and mother?" We rarely, if ever, refer to a man being "a Jewish husband and father," as if it is taken for granted that it is his primary role, and anything else he does must be secondary to it.

Furthermore, how demoralizing is that statment for those women who struggle with infertility, or who after many years have yet to find a spouse, or who just do not find fulfillment in marriage and children!

[Karen]

Shanna,

I am sorry if you found my sentence insensitive. What I am saying is that given that most 17-18 year old yeshiva girls tend to aspire to eventually get married and have a family it is important that they see a female role model who can be good at juggling both family and career responsibilities. This way their aspirations can expand to include the possibility of career interests as well.

You know from past posts that I have also written about infertility and singles (for lack of a better word) in the Jewish community. I do not, as you said, always tie up women's roles within Judaism with being a wife and mother. But occassionally they are tied up and need to be addressed, even if the challenge does not apply to everyone.

I agree that in a perfect world we would talk about both men and women juggling work and family, and sometimes I discuss that as well. But here I was specifically talking about how we educate girls. How we educate boys will have to wait for another post.

[adderabbi]

I think Shanna implies a great point, in that Rebbeim in Yeshivot should be role models for how to be a good Jewish husband and father (if they are husbands and fathers).

[oosj]

Interesting - I posted awhile ago on a discussion in an Israeli haredi internet forum, called 'bcahdrei hacharedim' in which they complained that men had no business heading up girls' seminaries.

[shanna]

My comment wasn't directed particularly at you, Karen, but at an overarching mentality. I don't hold you responsible for it, and for sure you shouldn't feel as if you have to apologize to me!

[Soferet]

בס"ד
YES! Holy conversation.
Ameyn :)

[bob]

Ramaz, the Modern Orthodox day school in Manahattan, recently appointed a female head of school. Rabbi Lookstein, the former head, kept the Rosh Yeshiva title for those people who are umcomfortable with a women responsible for hashkafa decisions, but still, its a step in the right direction

[dmz]

I agree that financial equity is an important goal and that parsonage for women in rabbi-like positions is an important step in the right direction (dare I say feminism and yashrus may very well be one and the same?). I am seriously concerned that the continued inequities, faced by women who are trying to make a life for themselves in learning is going to make serious learning for women a one-generation phenomenon. Many talented and Torah-minded women I know are choosing not to pursue careers in Torah education for this reason.

[Tobie]

As an alumna of Sha'alvim for Women, I was quite disappointed that they decided to replace the female Dean. Although I was not incredibly close with her, I felt that her presence as a learned female role model was invaluable for the students. If the school wanted a Rabbi in a leadership position, there was still the role of Mashgiach, etc, which was fulfilled by a Rabbi.
A similar experience happened in my Bais Yaakov high school, where the intelligent and charismatic female principal was replaced by a rabbi, to the disappointment of many of the students. I am saddened that Sha'alvim decided to follow that path. However, they still do have a number of females in positions of torah authority, including a Yo'etzet Halacha and at least one woman gemara teacher, which is partially why I found this new decision so very odd and disappointing, especially for those of us who continue to be interested in pursuing a life of torah study.