The Process

1. Why did Agudath Israel decide to become a traditional conservative egalitarian congregation?

 

The recommendation to complete the path toward being a traditional conservative egalitarian congregation is one that has been in process for almost 10 years. In May 2006, the congregation voted 77% in favour of expanding the participation of women in the Torah service to include aliyot, Torah reading, Hagbah and Glilah. The vote was the culmination of a comprehensive consultation process. The Board of Directors also believe this vote provided a firm mandate to continue on this path which is envisioned in the Synagogue’s Strategic Long Range Plan.
In early 2010, the Agudath Israel Ritual Committee was given a mandate by the Executive and Board of Agudath Israel Congregation to look into the issues surrounding women’s participation and to bring recommendations forward. The committee engaged in an almost one year long journey of study, discussion, listening and even some soul searching in order to educate themselves on the issues and to face both the challenges and the opportunities that any decision (or lack thereof) might offer.   With sources and responsa brought forward by Rabbi Popky in his capacity of Mara d’atra - the sole halakhic authority of the synagogue – the committee engaged in serious and robust discussion which ultimately led to its unanimous recommendation to the Board.

 

2. Exactly what is the recommendation of the Agudath Israel Ritual Committee?

The recommendation made to the Board of Directors at its March 2011 meeting is that “the practise of our congregation be to include post b’not mitzvah in the counting of the minyan, and, as such (women) can serve as shaliah tsibbur (Leader of Prayer) at all services.”
The recommendation by the Ritual Committee was based on careful study and halakhic reasoning that incorporated a range of traditional sources which guided its decision and overall, the decision was made with a desire to respect the inherent dignity of women within the Jewish tradition.

 

3. What did the Board of Directors do with the recommendation?

The Board of Directors informed the Congregation through a detailed email, the shul’s Shabbat Sheet and The Bulletin of the proposal and the timing of a vote. The Board of Directors also asked the Congregation for its input on the matter. The Board carefully reviewed and considered the comments received from congregants and voted on the recommendation at its meeting on May 11, 2011. The motion passed with the unanimous support of the Board.

The Board also accepted the Ritual Committee’s recommendation to  make the transition effective Erev Shavuot, (June 7, 2011 – 6 Sivan). Shavuot marks our receiving of the Torah and becoming a spiritual nation and is a time of learning, study and of teaching our children. Shavuot also involves the Story of Ruth and its strong symbolism of her devotion to Judaism. This presents an ideal occasion to bring forward a change in our ritual practices

 

4. Will there be further consultation with the Congregation? Will the Congregation be voting on this recommendation?

The strategic plan for the Congregation suggests that we adopt these policies and surveys, town hall meetings and discussions have all indicated a significant majority wish to proceed with this type of change.
The membership have fairly clearly expressed their views on this topic for some time now and the Ritual committee strongly believes that there is no need to go back to the congregation for a vote or even for town hall type meetings. The Board of Agudath Israel Congregation believes it is in an excellent position to make an informed and enlightened decision on this issue in its full leadership capacity given to it by the Congregation. The congregation, members, leadership and clergy all need to bring some closure to this issue one way or another, so that we can all move ahead with other pressing priorities and initiatives.

 

5. Why are we starting down this path all of a sudden?

If anything, Agudath Israel is completing an evolution toward egalitarianism which actually began in our congregation 27 years ago and which by all indications to the Board represent the desires of the vast majority of our congregants. Here is a brief chronology of how Agudath Israel has evolved:

• 1984 - A women's prayer group was formed in 1984 and met monthly on Sunday mornings for several years.
• 1989 - The first female president, Barbara Farber, was installed; women were also invited to participate more fully in ritual aspects of the synagogue.
• 1994 - Women were called for the Maftir aliyah.
• 2006 – Women have been eligible for any aliyah and are also permitted to read Torah. A number of women now wear tallit and are welcome to lay tefillin.
• 2010 – Agudath Israel Ritual Committee given mandate to explore completing the evolution to an egalitarian congregation
• 2011 - Unanimous recommendation to the Board of Directors to welcome women to lead all services and be counted in the minyan.

Interestingly, Agudath Israel also demonstrated support of egalitarianism at another Ottawa shul - Adath Shalom back as far as 1987. In that year another Ottawa shul recalled its Torah from Adath Shalom apparently after a congregant of theirs complained that he heard that women were being called to the Torah and were carrying it on Simhat Torah. Less than a year later, however, Agudath Israel Congregation voted to lend us a scroll. They had no problem with our running an egalitarian service with their scroll, although they were not egalitarian themselves. (from History of Adath Shalom Congregation www.adath-shalom.ca)

 

6. Where does this put Agudath Israel with respect to other Conservative synagogues?

In effect, Agudath Israel lags in adopting egalitarian practices compared to other Conservative synagogogues.

In 1973, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards voted to permit synagogues to count women toward a minyan, but left the choice to individual congregations. After a further decade of debate, in 1983, JTS voted to admit women for ordination as Conservative rabbis.

In 2002, the Committee adopted a responsum that provides an official religious-law foundation for its past actions and articulates the current Conservative approach to the role of women in Judaism. That responsum based on Rabbi David J. Fine’s Women and the Minyan states, “Since most Conservative congregations count women in the minyan, the answer to the question must by necessity turn to analysis of the proposed halakhic bases for why women may count in the minyan and serve as shaliah tsibbur (prayer leader).” In other words, since the majority of our community already is engaged in the practice, the best rabbinic option is to justify that practice, not change it.”

Today in North America, more than 90% of synagogues that self-identify as Conservative are fully egalitarian, meaning that there are no ritual distinctions between men and women. This decision, if approved by the Board, would position Agudath Israel in a manner consistent with most other Conservative synagogues in North America.

Ritual Implementation

1. How will things change at Agudath Israel now that the Board of Directors has voted in favour of becoming an egalitarian congregation?

Most of the changes that a move to traditional egalitarianism implies have actually already taken place at Agudath Israel over the past 10 years. The final stages that this evolution brings are as follows:

 

2. Minyans

Agudath Israel’s policy will now be that the minyan comprises 10 men and/or women who have achieved the age of Bar or Bat mitzvah (13 for males, 12 for females). Previously, only Jewish males over the age of Bar Mitzvah were counted as part of the minyan.  The new policy by counting Jewish women in the minyan affirms their dignity as full-fledged adult members of the Jewish community. 

 

3. Leading Services

Women have been welcome to lead many ritual elements at Agudath Israel for quite some time. Women are already able to lead  Birkot HaShahar, P’sukei d’zimrah, Kabbalat Shabbat and Hallel.  Women have also been able to read the Torah and Haftarah, receive aliyot to the Torah, to lift and dress the Torah (Hagbah and Gelilah), to serve as Gabbaim, to open and close the ark, and to read the prayers for Canada and Israel.  Women can also lead Birkat Hamazon at regular and festive meals (i.e. at weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, etc.). 
As an egalitarian congregation women are now invited to lead all parts of the service at our synagogue including Shaharith, Minhah, Ma’ariv and Musaf, and blowing the shofar during the High Holy Days. 

 

4. Does this policy apply to all Agudath Israel services and activities?

Yes. All religious services held under the auspices of Agudath Israel Congregation on or off the premises are subject to this policy.

 

5. Are there different levels of egalitarianism? What would Agudath Israel be?

There are no official designations or levels of egalitarianism.  Many shuls like Agudath Israel which are members of the Masorti (“traditional”) conservative movement, eliminate the ritual status differences between men and women, and maintain the full conservative liturgy and comprehensive observances often call themselves traditional conservative egalitarian congregations.

 

6. Does this mean there are any changes to the service or the liturgy?

No.  Our Sim Shalom Siddur adds the “Imahot” (Matriarchs), in the opening three paragraphs of the optional pages of the Amidah and congregants both male and female have had the option of reciting this version during the silent Amidah while the reader’s repetition of the Amidah has used the traditional version which only references the forefathers. The committee is not recommending any change to the liturgy or the current practices.

 

7. Do women now have to wear a tallit or tefillin?

While women are welcome to observe the important mitzvot of tallit and tephillin at Agudath Israel, it is not be a requirement. This is in keeping with the existing practice at our services which does not absolutely require they be worn by worshippers. When called up for an Aliyah, a woman is encouraged to wear a tallit, but it is not a requirement. At to beingshaliah tsibbur, women would wear a tallit at the same services men would. Although men are currently required to wear tephillin when leading morning weekday services, women leading these services would not be required to wear tephillin, although they are welcome to do so if they choose.

 

8. Do women have to wear kippot or other head coverings?

 While on the Bimah, a woman has already been required to cover her head/hair.  This remains the same.

 

9. When will women be counted in the minyan?

At any minyan, the first 10 people over the age of b’nai/b’not Mitzvah will be counted in the minyan in any combination. This means a minyan can be formed from 10 Jewish males, 10 Jewish females or any combination on a first-come basis.

 

10. At what age is a female counted in a minyan?

As with men being counted in the minyan when they reach the age of bar mitzvah, a woman would be counted in the minyan after she has reached the age of bat mitzvah. That means 13 years of age for men and 12 years of age for women.

 

11. But if we’re going to be egalitarian, shouldn’t women now have their bat mitzvah at the age of 13 as well?

While congregants at Agudath Israel have a choice of whether they would like to have their bat mitzvah ceremony at age 12, 13 or in between, for the purposes of this policy, Agudath Israel continues to use the traditional age of 12 (+ one day).