RCA Releases Statement On Avi Weiss, Weiss Says No More ‘Rabba’

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avi-weiss[See Matzav.com’s earlier report today here.] The following was released today by the Rabbinical Council of America in response to Rabbi Avi Weiss’ granting of semichah to a woman, Sara Hurwitz and his declaration that Hurwitz will now be known as “rabbah” rather than MaHaRat, a term that had been created on her behalf:

Over the course of the last several weeks, at the request and initiative of Rabbi Avi Weiss, the leadership of Rabbinical Council of America and Rabbi Avi Weiss have engaged in discussions concerning the issue of ordaining women as rabbis. We are gratified that during the course of these conversations Rabbi Weiss concluded that neither he nor Yeshivat Maharat would ordain women as rabbis and that Yeshivat Maharat will not confer the title of “Rabba” on graduates of their program.

We are delighted that we have been able to resolve this matter in adherence with Torah principles and in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of peace and unity within our community. We are confident that continued dialogue of this type will enable us to resolve other important issues facing the Jewish community today.

The RCA reaffirms its commitment to women’s Torah education and scholarship at the highest levels, and to the assumption of appropriate leadership roles within the Jewish community. We strongly maintain that any innovations that impact the community as a whole should be done only with the broad support of the Orthodox rabbinate and a firm grounding in the eternal mesorah of the Jewish people.

The following is a letter from Avi Weiss to Rabbi Moshe Kletenik, the RCA President:

Dear Rabbi Kletenik,

This has been a most challenging time. The change in title from “Maharat” to “Rabba” has precipitated a level of controversy in the Orthodox community that was neither expected nor intended.  In light of the tension caused to our greater community and my commitment to the principle of gadol hashalom, I share the following:

It is not my intention or the intention of Yeshivat Maharat to confer the title of “Rabba” upon its graduates.  Yeshivat Maharat prepares women for positions of religious leadership in the Orthodox community. Each student who completes its course of study in Tanakh, Talmud, Halakha and Jewish Thought, and is deemed fit by her faith, knowledge of our Mesoret, ethical integrity and temperament to assume positions of religious leadership in Orthodox institutions will be confirmed as manhigah hilkhatit, ruhanit, toranit (Maharat).

They will have been prepared to provide varied forms of communal and synagogue leadership in accordance with halakha.  They will also have been trained in pastoral counseling, as well as having the ability to answer questions of halakha to those who seek them out, as has been recognized and well established in both classical and contemporary halakhic sources.

I hope that good will emerge from all of this, and that some of the meaningful conversation and communication that has taken place these past few weeks between myself and yourself as the President of the Rabbinical Council of America, might continue.  I thank you for your candor and your receptiveness.

In the prayer that we all continue to work for the betterment of Am Yisrael-

Biydidut,

Avi

Matzav.com has been at the forefront of reporting on Avi Weiss’ activities over the last couple of years – including policies of his school, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and his introduction of “Open Orthodoxy.” (See here, here and here.)

Weiss’ activities and attempts at adulterating Orthodoxy were first exposed in the mainstream chareidi media in a series of articles beginning in February 2007 in the national newspaper Yated Ne’eman, published out of Monsey, NY. 

{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


8 COMMENTS

  1. A duck is a duck whether or not it’s called one (or, if you prefer, a pig in lipstick for this chazzer-treif maharat idea)…I’m not sure why he deserves to be praised. It’s quite obvious that his intentions and hashkafos haven’t changed one iota.

  2. Give the guy a break. He was shown to be wrong and he relented. We could all learn a thing from this. Good shabbos to all.

  3. Why are we being treated like we are stupid? This man is trying to be a moses mendelsohn and we accept him into the fold? Shame on the RCA!

  4. Women have served as spiritual and even halachic leaders throughout our history. I’m surprised that giving one title over another is cause for controversy and attack.

  5. Just as a duck is a duck, mutar is mutar. Show me where it states that a woman cant provide pastoral counseling and answer questions in halacha, or have a title to go with their job description?

  6. Where does this now place he RCA?

    Unless, they realize that mharit title didn’t catch on, and will die quickly, as that was the whole reason weiss opted for the rabbit, oops- rabbah- title

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