MODERN ORTHODOX JUDAISM AS AN OPTION FOR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN WENDY WOLFE FINE, B.A., M.A. Editor, IMPACT, a Publication of the Hornstein Program in Jewish Communal Service, West Newton, Massachusetts Modem Orthodox professional women coexist in the secular and religious worlds and they must balance their extensive responsibilities in those two arenas. Through obser­ vance of Shabbat and the holidays, these women regularly make time for a rich family life. The crossover of secular values, such as feminism, into the religious world has led many to explore innovative public religious experiences, such as women's tefillah groups. his article examines how professional, this article is helpful to professional Jewish Tmodern Orthodox Jewish women recon­ women who want to explore Orthodoxy; it cile the religious and professional compo­ demonstrates the possibility of coexisting nents of their lives. Through in-depth dis­ and achieving a level of comfort in both cussions with eleven modern Orthodox these worlds. women belonging to two neighboring syna­ gogues in the United States, 1 explored their THE TRADITIONAL ROLE OF WOMEN religious practices and beliefs, their reasons IN ORTHODOXY for living a modern Orthodox life, and the In traditional Orthodox Judaism, women most salient values of their religious and and men do not have idenfical educations, secular worlds. identical roles, or equal visibility in public To put the interview material in its (Aiken, 1993). Historically, in traditional, proper context, I briefly outline the tradi­ Torah-observant Judaism, numerous sub­ tional role of women in Orthodoxy, the dis­ groups each had special roles. For example, tinction between modern Orthodox Judaism priests served God in the Temple and taught and traditional Judaism, and the influences Torah, and the Levites sang praises to God and impact of feminism and modernity on and played musical instruments in the the traditional role. The final section dis­ Temple. Neither of these groups was al­ cusses the interview material, which encom­ lowed to perform the responsibilities of the passes a descripfion of the synagogue set­ other. Similarly, women have a number of tings and the respondents, a summary of the unique and special duties in Torah-obser­ respondents' reasons for choosing a modern vant Judaism. According to Lisa Aiken Orthodox life, a description of how they (1993, p. 30), "A plurality of roles allows balance and juggle their responsibilities in each group of Jews to make its special con­ these two worlds, and a discussion of their tribution that will allow the Jewish nation views of feminism and public opportunities to properly serve God." for religious expression or lack thereof Two overarching explanations from tra­ within modern Orthodox Judaism. ditional Jewish sources account for the dif­ This article attempts to provide Jewish ferences in men and women's roles in Or­ communal professionals with a better un­ thodox Judaism. First, both men and derstanding of modern Orthodox, profes­ women are obligated to follow God's plan sional women and the conflicts between and imitate God by uniting through acts of modern Orthodox Judaism and feminism. giving and lovingkindness (Aiken, 1993). Through their heightened understanding Each, however, is required to imitate God the Jewish community can be more respon­ in a different way, as is discussed below. sive to this important segment of the Second, women are designated the more American Jewish population. Furthermore, 153 Journal of Jewish Communal Service / 154 private roles, and men are given the more God (Aiken, 1993). The fmaS. mitzvah, public roles, even though neither gender is candle lighting, sanctifies time. The Sab­ restricted to either area. Both should strive bath candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset for privacy because in Judaism spiritual on a Friday to take time from the secular heroism takes place in private, but women day to add it to the Sabbath. By adding should cultivate a private relationship with more spiritual time to the Sabbath, women God as a primary value and men should do demonstrate that every moment of time and this as a secondary goal (Aiken, 1993). The human existence is significant and that it is root of the female's role as a private one is within our human potential to sanctify time the verse, 'The entire glory ofthe daughter (Aiken, 1993). ofthe king lies on the inside (Psalm In Orthodox Judaism, women are re­ 45:14)." sponsible for imitating God in two ways— In Orthodox Judaism, the mitzvot (divine by creating new life and nurturing others. conunandments) that men and women ob­ According to Rabbi Moshe Meiselman serve are necessary to sanctify the world. (1978, p. 16), 'The Jewish woman is the Women are exempt from the time-bound creator, molder, and guardian of the Jewish mitzvot, which include reciting the Shema, home. The family has always been the unit dorming tefillin, wearing tzitzit (fringes), of Jewish existence, and while the man has counting the Omer, hearing the shofar, always been the family's public representa­ dwelling in the sukkah, and taking the tive, the woman has been its soul." The lulav. With the exception of tefillin, how­ center of Jewish life has always been the ever, a woman may perform these com­ home, and not the synagogue. As the soul mandments. The Talmud states that the ex­ of a Jewish home, the woman has the pri­ emption does not signify that men have mary responsibility for transmitting Jewish greater worth than women, but rather both belief and practice to her children, teaching are equally sacred (Meiselman, 1978). them to know and love God and bringing Most authorities view these exemptions as the concepts of God to life for them. The an accepted part of Halachah (Jewish law). woman infiises the physical aspects of pro­ Others have attributed the exemption to in­ viding for the needs of her family with herent differences in men and women; spirituality by providing the proper reli­ women have the iimate ability to reach gious environment for all members of her spirituality, in contrast to men whose ag­ family (Meiselman, 1978). In his eulogy gression inhibits this attainment and there­ for the Talne Rebbitzen Rebecca Twersky zt'l, the late talmudic scholar Rabbi Joseph fore necessitates their performance of addi­ Soloveitchik zt'l describes how and what tional commandments (Meiselman, 1978, his mother taught him as the soul of his pp. 43-44). family's home: Three special mitzvot are the exclusive domain of women: (1) the laws of taharat hamishpachah (family purity); (2) the sepa­ I used to watch her arranging the house ration of a piece of dough when baking in honor of a hohday. I used to see her bread; and (3) the lighting of the Sabbath recite prayers: I used to watch her recite candles (Aiken, 1993). These acts raise de­ the sidra (the Torah portion of the week) tails of daily life to a level of holiness. every Friday night and I still remember Through the laws of taharat hamishpachah, the nostal^c tune. I leamed from her sexual relations between a husband and a very much. wife are made holy. Setting aside a piece of Most of all I learned that Judaism ex­ challah that is baked in honor of the Sab­ presses itself not only in formal comph­ bath is a way of demonstrating to family ance with the law but also in a hving ex­ members that material blessings come from perience. She taught me that there is a God and their ultimate purpose is to serve flavor, a scent and warmth to mitzvot. I WINTER/SPRING 1995 Modern Orthodox Judaism and Professional Women / 155 leamed from her the most important role of assessing and meeting the needs of thing in life—to feel the presence of the her children in the morning and developing Almighty and the gentle pressure of His her internal role (Aiken, 1993). Since she hand resting upon my frail shoulders. is not required to develop the area of public Without her teachings, which quite often responsibility, she cannot be counted as one were transmitted to me in silence, I of the ten comprising the basic prayer unit, would have grown up a souUess being, a minyan, and cannot lead public prayer dry and insensitive (Soloveitchik, 1977, (Meiselman, 1978). Recent Jewish litera­ p. 77). ture on Jewish law states that "a minyan is made up of ten people who share the same Familial responsibilities and women's degree of obligation (quoted in Meiselman, ultimate responsibility for ensuring the con­ 1978, p. 138)," and this applies to non-gen­ tinuity of the Jewish people are yet a third der issues as well. explanation for women's exemptions from Part of communal prayer includes the time-bound commandments (Aiken, 1993). Torah reading, and in traditional Judaism Within Orthodox communities, in order women are excluded from having an aliyah to serve God properly, men and women (being called to the Torah). The reasoning must focus on developing their inner selves behind this exclusion is twofold. First, a by dressing and acting modestly so as to person who is praying is required to focus present themselves with dignity to the rest only on the prayer and should avoid any­ ofthe world (Aiken, 1993). Modesty ex­ thing that might make him or her feel self- tends to Ijehavior as well. In Orthodox Ju­ conscious: "One must be able to lose him­ daism, there is a reciprocal requirement for self totally in prayer" (Meiselman, 1978, men and women to refrain from behaving in p. 142). Sexual distraction is considered to a sexually suggestive manner. This is the inhibit prayer and is one of the explanations reason women are not permitted to sing be­ for separate seating in Orthodox syna­ fore men other than their husbands.