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The Recon- become common in liberal Jewish 1999. a diffi cult path for herself as a structionist movement followed in 1974, denominations, the very idea of female Prior to founding Yeshivat Maharat, rabbi in a denomination which Jewish Renewal in 1981, and the rabbis is taboo or – at the very least – Rabbi Weiss controversially ordained a R(mostly) rejects the concept Conservative movement in 1985. controversial in Orthodox Judaism. woman, Sara Hurwitz, who had studied of women serving as clergy at any (The fi rst woman to ever be ordained Rabbi Kagedan was ordained in June with him for fi ve years. She took the title level. as a rabbi – as Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton after graduating from Yeshivat Maharat “Rabba,” a feminized version of the word That women can serve as rabbis is noted in her “From the Pulpit” column in in New York, the fi rst yeshiva in North rabbi. Rabba Hurwitz is now dean of now taken for granted in the Reform, the Bulletin (November 9) – was Rabbi America founded to train women for the Yeshivat Maharat. Reconstructionist, Conservative and Regina Jonas who was ordained in Orthodox rabbinate. Rabbi Kagedan was one of six women Jewish Renewal movements. But having Germany in 1935. She was murdered by Yeshivat Maharat was founded in in Yeshivat Maharat’s third graduating women serve as rabbis is a relatively the Nazis at Auschwitz during the 2009 by Rabbi Avi Weiss, who had also class. Other members of the class have recent phenomenon. The Reform Holocaust.) founded Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an taken the title “Maharat” or “Rabba.” movement in North America ordained its While women in the rabbinate has Orthodox rabbinical school for men in See Rabbi Kagedan on page 2 Rhoda Levitan on Limmud Ottawa hosts full day Barbara Crook on 20th anniversary inside: PJ Library program > p. 10 of Jewish learning > p. 12 of Rabin’s assassination > p. 21 World Class Outsourcing ... and more! 613-744-6444 613-244-7225 Providing quality service 613-744-5767 613-244-4444 to the National Capital Region Publication Mail Agreement No. 40018822 since 1947! www.boydgroup.on.ca 2 November 23, 2015 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM Rabbi Kagedan: Major Orthodox institutions unwilling to accept women clergy, no matter their title Continued from page 1 synagogues in Montreal, is not affi liated All of the members of the fi rst two with the RCA or Agudath Israel of graduating classes took “Maharat” as America. their title. The word maharat is an Rabbi Kagedan’s family moved to acronym for the Hebrew words manhiga Ottawa in time for her to enter Grade 4 at hilkhatit rukhanit Toranit indicating a Hillel Academy (now the Ottawa Jewish female leader trained in Halacha (Jewish Community School). She began her high law), spirituality and Torah. school studies at Machon Sarah High But, no matter which title each has School for Girls while her parents, Ian chosen, all graduates of Yeshivat Maharat and Shoshana Kagedan, worked to have completed studies taught at the establish Yitzhak Rabin High School. She same level as at modern Orthodox was a member of the fi rst graduating rabbinic schools for men. To date, there class at the Jewish community high have been 11 graduates of the program, school. and another 22 women are currently She explained that her path to the enrolled and scheduled to graduate rabbinate was rooted in the Jewish between 2016 and 2020. textual studies she pursued every day Rabbi Kagedan explained that each with her father, a senior public servant graduate of Yeshivat Maharat decides for who served as president of Congregation herself which title to assume. While she Beth Shalom West (now Congregation respects the choices other graduates have Beit Tikvah). Their daily text studies, she made to be called “Maharat” or “Rabba,” said, continued via telephone after she she said she chose to be called “Rabbi” to left Ottawa to pursue her studies. dispel any confusion about her training Ian Kagedan, she explained, was and qualifi cations. She pointed out there always supportive of her interest in is no distinction in the title given to ROBIN CHERNICK advanced Judaic studies and encouraged women and men who have graduated Rabbi Lila Kagedan, who grew up in Ottawa and graduated from Hillel Academy and her to pursue the opportunity to study at Yitzhak Rabin High School, returned to her home town to speak about Orthodox women from medical school – all are called Yeshivat Maharat. Sadly, he passed away in the rabbinate at Limmud Ottawa, November 1. “Doctor.” in 2014 following a battle with ALS Her rabbinic qualifi cations are in (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), about 16 addition to a variety of degrees and regardless of the title used; or hire or Orthodoxy, and the Moetzes Gedolei months before her ordination. certifi cates she earned previously at ratify the hiring of a woman into a HaTorah statement on Open Orthodoxy Rabbi Kagedan maintains an Midreshet Lindenbaum, the Hebrew rabbinic position at an Orthodox institu- emphatically stated, “any smicha extremely busy professional life. Now University of Jerusalem, the University of tion; or allow a title implying rabbinic [rabbinic ordination] granted by any of its based in the Boston area, she teaches Toronto, Harvard University, the Medstar ordination to be used by a teacher of affi liated entities to their graduates does bioethics and works in hospitals as a Washington Hospital Center, and Limudei Kodesh (religious studies) in an not confer upon them any rabbinic clinical ethicist and chaplain. As well, she Massachusetts General Hospital. Orthodox institution,” the resolution authority.” is the founder and director of the Sulam While Rabbi Kagedan said there are states. Pointing out that many of the rabbis School, an intensive Jewish supplement- many people in the Orthodox world who The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah she has learned from over the years are ary school for elementary school stu- are willing to accept women in the (Council of Torah Sages) of America, the members of the RCA, Rabbi Kagedan said dents in Brookline, Massachusetts, and is rabbinate, and who are allies and sup- highest rabbinic authority of Agudath she has nothing but respect for the rabbis also a consultant, lecturer and educator porters of the women who have gradu- Israel of America, an umbrella group and understands the reluctance of specializing in global health, ethics, ated from Yeshivat Maharat, Orthodox representing haredi Orthodoxy in North Orthodox institutions to accept women religion and education. She frequently Judaism, at the institutional level, is still America, followed with a blanket con- as members of the rabbinate. serves as a scholar-in-residence. unwilling to accept female clergy. demnation of Open Orthodoxy, a new While acknowledging that many in the While Rabbi Kagedan hopes eventually On October 30, just two days before movement promoting a progressive form Orthodox world will never accept women to serve a congregation as well, she Rabbi Kagedan’s appearances at Limmud of Orthodox Judaism, including the in the rabbinate, Rabbi Kagedan said acknowledged that it would probably Ottawa, the Rabbinical Council of ordination of women. (Agudath Israel progress is being made and pointed out have to be on a part-time basis given her America (RCA), the umbrella organiza- Congregation in Ottawa, a Conservative that graduates of Yeshivat Maharat have schedule. tion for modern Orthodox rabbis in synagogue, is not associated with been hired at a number of Orthodox Asked at a Limmud session why she North America, issued a resolution Agudath Israel of America.) congregations and institutions, including did not become a rabbi in one of the prohibiting the ordination or hiring of The two seminaries founded by at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in denominations that encourages women women rabbis. Rabbi Weiss, as well as the International Montreal where Maharat Rachel Kohl to become rabbis, Rabbi Kagedan said “RCA members with positions in Rabbinic Fellowship, a group he Finegold serves as director of education she was raised in an Orthodox family Orthodox institutions may not ordain co-founded as an alternative to the and spiritual enrichment. Shaar and she remains committed to women into the Orthodox rabbinate, RCA, are at the centre of Open Hashomayim, one of the most prominent Orthodoxy. Ask about our 555 Legget Drive hearing Suite 1030 Kanata, ON aid trials K2K 2X3 FREE Les Kom, BA, MA, FMA, CIM® 613 783-7808 Neil Fine 2130 Robertson Rd. Portfolio Manager Investment Advisor [email protected] HearFine.com www.LesKomWealthAdvisor.com 613.709.3463 CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.