[Avodah] WTG

[Stadlan, Noam]

The topic of WTG has to be seen in its historical context.  RYBS then and
many today now still think of it as an expression of "women are just as good
as men and can do anything a man can do" brand of feminism(Prof. Tamar Ross
has a very enlightening history of feminism as part of her book, Expanding
the Palace of Torah).  There is a serious lack of appreciation that the
impetus behind today's WTG's(at least the ones that I am familiar with) is
that the WTG imparts a greater amount of kavannah and learning.  If proof is
needed, it is in the fact that the WTGs continue to exist despite the option
of the 'Shirah Chadasha' more egalitarian minyanim. 

Noam Stadlan