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Friday January 11, 2008

As women rise in the Jewish world, where are the men?

It is only a coincidence that the week we run a cover story on a new women’s Torah commentary, a woman wins the New Hampshire primary for the first time. Such dramatic changes in gender politics mirror a similarly shifting landscape in the Jewish world.

With the publication of “The Torah: A Woman’s Commentary,” the Women of Reform Judaism and the URJ Press have done a great service. For the first time, the number of qualified women scholars has reached critical mass, opening the door to such a worthy project.

This new edition shines a bright light on the women of the Torah, but does not limit its scope strictly to gender issues. The many contributors are world-class scholars and have earned their place in Bible studies regardless of gender.

We applaud the editors and publishers for their tenacity and erudition. “The Torah: A Women’s Commentary” will contribute mightily to Jewish education.

This week’s j. features two other important stories covering gender and Judaism.

One on the recent advancement of women in the Modern Orthodox movement gives further cause for celebration. The story describes the rise of women to senior posts at leading Orthodox synagogues in New York, breaking what one woman called “the glass mechitzah.”

The success of these women proves that some quarters within the Orthodox movement gladly embrace change.

This positive news is partly offset by our third gender story, this one about the decline of male participation in Jewish religious life, at least among non-Orthodox Jews.

Studies confirm that girls and women are more active with worship and synagogue programming than their male counterparts. Women now make up 75 percent of rabbinical students in the Reform movement.

Where are the men?

The Reform movement is taking steps to bring them back. Not only was the topic raised at the recently concluded biennial of Reform rabbis, the Union of Reform Judaism and other affiliated organizations have published guides to help synagogues address the issue. Further studies and initiatives are also on the front burner.

All these stories suggest the Jewish world has eagerly tackled gender issues and takes seriously the concerns of Jewish women. We can and will do better in the years ahead. But for now it is a source of pride that American Judaism confronts gender issues head on.

The subject will likely always spark debate within the Jewish community. As long as men and women have an equal place at the table, we see that as a good thing.

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