Who Knew? Meet the World’s First Female Orthodox Jewish Rabbi

Last updated on: April 6, 2016 at 12:25 am by Deacon Greg Kandra

Who Knew? Meet the World’s First Female Orthodox Jewish Rabbi 2016-04-06T00:25:10-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

And just in time for Passover.

From CNN:

Ten young children sit around a table as Lila Kagedan walks into their synagogue’s after-school program. Paper plates filled with art supplies are waiting for them to tear into.

Kagedan introduces herself as the new rabbi at their synagogue. Not one of the elementary-school-aged children seems surprised.

But her announcement is surprising — historic, even: Kagedan, of Mount Freedom Jewish Center, is the first woman to have the title of rabbi serving an Orthodox congregation.

It is a job she has dreamed of holding since she was a little girl, but rabbinical school did not exist for women in the Orthodox movement for most of her life.

“Growing up the only model of rabbi in the Orthodox world were men,” Kagedan says. “So in some ways this really didn’t feel like an option.”

Rabbi Lila Kagedan says she “wanted my title to be the most accurate description of my training.”

…There have been Orthodox Jewish women before her who took the title “rabba,” but Kagedan was firm in wanting to be called Rabbi Kagedan.

“I knew that I wanted my title to be the most accurate description of my training,” Kagedan says. “I didn’t want to walk into a room or a space and have there be any ambiguity of what it is that I was there to do. What my training was. What my skill set was.”

The idea of a female rabbi is not accepted by everyone in Orthodox Judaism. The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), an organization made up of Orthodox rabbis, passed a resolution in October 2015 in response to Kagedan’s school, Yeshivat Maharat, ordaining women as rabbis, calling it “a violation of our mesorah [tradition]” and saying the school’s decision to do so was “a path that contradicts the norms of our community.”

When asked about Kagedan’s new position, Rabbi Mark Dratch, the RCA’s executive vice president, said the organization “encourages a diversity of [sanctioned] and communally appropriate opportunities for learned, committed women,” but it does not accept the ordination or recognition of women as Orthodox rabbis.

Read more and watch the video here.

Photo: Times of Israel

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 5, 2016

University Students Freak Out Over "Klansman" on Campus—Who Turned Out to be a Priest

Next Post

April 6, 2016 Watch: Hip New Ad for Spotify Featuring Some Rocking Nuns

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution politics Politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV uncategorized Uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Twelve spies were sent to explore Canaan, and all gave a positive report.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »