[Avodah] Women Learning Torah

[Ilana Sober Elzufon]

>
> RRW: Thus I support allowing women to choose a Hareidi-style education OR A
> RYDS-style fully modern yeshivisher curriculum, gmara and all.
>
> And that no woman would be "shamed" into either role, rather to learn what
> best works for her as an individual.


Sounds like a good idea for men too, no?

In practice, I don't think there is that much choice for individual girls
until high school or, more commonly, post high school. Families tend to
choose schools based on what is available in the community and suitable for
their hashkafah, and accept whatever curriculum goes along with that. Thus,
there are families whose boys get less secular education than they would
like, because the school that is otherwise right for them doesn't offer
much. And girls (like mine) who don't learn gemara because the schools where
they fit in religiously and socially don't offer it.

>
> The decision to produce Orthodox women clergy will be postponed; but
> there will be women ready to go at any time.


"Produce"? The way to "produce" clergy is by teaching them Torah, and this
hasn't been postponed. There are more than a few qualfied women already. And
they are not sitting quietly on the shelf "ready to go at any time" waiting
for someone (who?) to make a "decision." Many of these women are young. Some
are spending most of their time raising families. But others are moving into
the kind of teaching, pastoral, and leadership roles that they are suited
for, in schools and midrashot, and in communities.

- Ilana
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