Agudah attacks RCA deal with Rabbi Weiss

By Mayer Fertig

Agudath Israel is redirecting its fire from Rabbi Avi Weiss to the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA). On Tuesday, the Moetzet Gedolei HaTorah, Agudah’s Council of Torah Sages, took aim at the RCA’s deal with Rabbi Weiss that got him to back down from ordaining Orthodox women, calling it a “superficial move.”

The statement noted that while Rabbi Weiss would not be conferring the title ‘rabba’ on the women he is mentoring and training to take on leadership roles in Orthodox shuls, the title mahara”t would still be used.

“This superficial move does not in any way change the position of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah that placing women in traditional rabbinic positions departs from the Jewish mesorah, and that any congregation with a woman in such a position cannot call itself

Orthodox,” the statement said.

The decision to make a deal with Rabbi Weiss rather than expel him from the RCA was “deeply dismaying,” the Agudah statement continued.

“We trust that this capitulation does not represent the perspective of the principled majority of the organization’s member rabbis,” the statement concluded.

Rabbi Weiss has given every indication that he’ll continue to confer the title mahara”t on women at Yeshivat Mahara”t, possibly giving him the last laugh. Judging from the Agudah’s harsh reaction, it seems that as a result of the controversy, the mahara”t title has received de-facto recognition.

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, first vice president of the Rabbinical Council, and rav of Cong. Ahavath Torah in Englewood, N.J., said the organization’s statement was being misinterpreted, and was “by no means an endorsement of the title ‘mahara”t’ or of the Yeshivat Mahara”t, of which we know very little.”

“The RCA’s policy has always been and continues to be to recognize only male rabbis as members of our organization,” he added.

As for the lone ‘Rabba,’ Sara Hurwitz will retain her title, at least for now, she told the

Jewish Star.

“Right now I’m still being called Rabba and we’re undergoing a process within our own community to make sure that’s the right thing,” she said, referring to the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. “We’re weighing all comments,” she added.