[Avodah] Women Learning Torah

[Ilana Sober Elzufon]

I suspect part of the debate between myself and RRW is due to our being on
different continents - I'm in Yerushalayim; he's in Teaneck. So we have
different perspectives. Most of the noise about "women rabbis" is coming
from the US, esp the NY area, and maybe most of the serious women's learning
is happening in Israel.

The learned women I know here are mostly teaching in high schools or
midrashot without any title at all and not particularly "showing off." If a
woman has halachic expertise, other women may turn to her with questions,
which she will either answer or refer to / consult with a rabbi, depending
on whether they are within her realm of competence. The only real titles I
see used here are "yoetzet halacha" - and yoatzot don't go around flaunting
the title or attaching it to their names - and "Rabbanit," which, if the
woman's husband happens to be a rabbi, is sometimes used to convey respect
for her own learning as well.

The titles business seems to be centred more in the US, especially NY, where
the pulpit rabbinate is much more important. And I guess I have a certain
sympathy for the young women with the Torah learning and pastoral skills to
take a leadership role in a community. I also suspect that Rabbi Broyde is
correct that, since this is happening anyway, it will work much better if
there are structured training and certification programs. To the extent that
a title enables a woman to serve the community - and earn a parnasah - I
don't see why she shouldn't have one. I don't know these women, but I can't
imagine they consider the title the ikar of what they are doing.

- Ilana
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