"We affirm the equal status of men and women in synagogue
life. The Liberal Jewish movement has been the pioneer in that
respect in Britain. There is no sex segregation in our synagogues.
Women may lead services, become rabbis, and hold any synagogue
office.
We affirm the equal status of boys and girls in religious education.
Accordingly, we have introduced the ceremony of Bat-Mitzvah ("Daughter
of Duty") to complement the traditional Bar-Mitzvah ("Son
of Duty") at the age of thirteen, and we attach great importance
to the further ceremony, created by Liberal Judaism, of Kabbalat
Torah ("Acceptance of Torah" or "Confirmation")
at fifteen or sixteen."* Liberal Judaism has always affirmed
the equal role and participation of women in all areas of Jewish
life. We were among the first to ordain women rabbis and today,
we are committed to cultivating the abilities and talents of women
in our movement.
In ancient times, women were frequently seen as possessions rather
than autonomous human beings with their own rights and responsibilities.
Thus, many of the Biblical laws concerning women involve the protection
of the female as one would protect property. For example, the
tenth commandment says that one shouldn't covet a man's wife,
nor any of his other possessions. However, there are also positive
examples of the treatment of women in the Bible. In the case of
Zelophehad's daughters, women's requests were considered and accepted
by Moses (Numbers 27:1-11). In the Hebrew Bible, there are examples
of influential women in families and in the community at large,
such as Miriam and Deborah. Women such as Hannah and Ruth provide
us with role models of strength, courage and faithfulness. Post-biblical
literature reflects the fact that women were moved farther and
farther away from public life. An extremely influential Talmudic
ruling determined that women were not required to perform certain
positive, time-bound commandments, such as dwelling in the Sukkah.
Although they were exempt from these time- bound commandments
(Kiddushin 1:7) rather than forbidden, women became more and more
excluded from the important, usually public, areas of Jewish life,
study and prayer. There are some positive, time-bound commandments
that women are required to fulfil, such as lighting Chanukkah
lights (Talmud Shab. 23a), and hearing the story of Esther read
on Purim (Talmud Meg. 4a), but a separate rationale is given for
these exceptions to the rule.
Many of the Talmudic laws that keep women upstairs or in the back
of the synagogue. separated from men. are based on the attempt
to free men from "temptation" by the presence of women
near them (Mishnah Avot 1:5). Liberal Judaism rejects such laws
as prejudicial and unnecessary, and damaging to women, men, and
Jewish life in general. Men and women sit together during services
since all worshippers are equal, and families can pray together
at all times. The laws which traditionally prohibit women from
teaching or speaking in public or from leading prayer, were designed
to keep men free of embarrassment if they knew less than the women
(Talmud Meg. 23). We know, however, that women have been teachers
and leaders throughout the centuries. For example, Beruriah, a
2nd century Talmudic scholar, made halachic decisions and taught
rabbis (Talmud Ber. l0a), and Imma Shalom, born in 50 C.E. was
quoted as well (Talmud Nedarim 20b). Dona Gracia Mendes, who lived
during the 16th century, was a leader of the Spanish Jewish community.
We also acknowledge with pride the major role that women have
played in Jewish life through their involvement in the home. In
this private sphere, through the observance of such mitzvot (commandments)
as lighting Sabbath candles and the education of the children,
women contribute an enormous amount to the establishment of a
Jewish identity for their families.
Liberal Judaism firmly believes that women can and should have
access to all aspects of Jewish ritual life, both private and
public, including the wearing of tallit (prayer shawl) and kippah
(head covering) and the saying of the Kaddish. Women were never
forbidden to perform these mitzvot, but were only exempted because
it was assumed that they had other responsibilities. There is
no firm ruling in Jewish law that precludes these practices for
women. On the contrary, the Mishnah discusses whether it is obligatory
or only optional for women to wear tzitzit (fringes on the prayer
shawl). We reject customs which have arisen to bar women from
certain ritual acts or areas of study. Women are over half the
population of the Jewish community and in the Liberal movement
are considered full members and participants therein. We encourage
women to study and receive an in-depth Jewish education so that
they can make informed decisions about their religious life. Liberal
Judaism encourages all women to take an active part in the religious
life of their community. This was exemplified by one of the founders
of the Liberal Movement, The Hon. Lily Montagu. She came from
a privileged and strictly Orthodox background.
Yet, from the age of 16, she saw that Judaism was in danger of
becoming meaningless to the majority of people if it degenerated
into being mere habit. In l899 she wrote an article entitled "The
Spiritual Possibilities of Judaism Today," which led to the
formation of the Jewish Religious Union, now Liberal Judaism, in 1902.
She often fulfilled a rabbinic role by preaching and leading services.
In 1926, she was one of the pioneers of the World Union for Progressive
Judaism.
As a Liberal Jew, she considered ethical action to be most important
and devoted much of her life to the West Central Club, and to
the synagogue that she founded. In many Liberal synagogues today,
women are officers, council members and chair-people as we do
not accept the traditional restrictions on women holding public
office. Throughout the life cycle, girls take an equal part in
religious ritual. Both girls and boys have a service of baby naming
in the synagogue. During this service, the mother participates
fully. Girls and boys enter religion school at the same age and
participate equally in learning about their Jewish heritage and
identity. Since girls are completely integrated into the life
of a Liberal synagogue, many will opt to have a Bat Mitzvah at
thirteen, and thus follow all the traditional customs of participating
in the service. and reading from the Torah. All are expected to
go on to Kabbalat Torah (confirmation) at about the age of sixteen,
when the service and Torah reading are equally divided between
the boys and girls of the graduating class. This extension of
formal Jewish education was one of the prime innovations of the
early reformers in Germany. In this country, only the Liberal
movement offers this valuable educational opportunity to all its
teenagers.
By this equality in education, Liberal Judaism empowers adult
women to take a full part in the religious life of the community.
As well as being called up to the Torah and leading services,
women in Liberal synagogues take a prominent part in fulfilling
other mitzvot such as visiting the sick and giving hospitality
to strangers. Liberal Judaism enables women to have a full and
meaningful religious life. The Liberal movement as a whole has
recognised the need to use gender-inclusive language in the liturgy
to avoid the anthropomorphism of referring to God as male. This
major advance can bring into the Liberal community those women
who may have felt alienated and distanced by the language of the
traditional liturgy. Jewish women are empowered by the Liberal
movement to explore the opportunities to reclaim their Jewish
heritage. There are groups which are beginning to experiment with
the celebration of Rosh Chodesh, a festival which celebrates the
new moon and has always been associated with Jewish women in particular.
There have been many new prayers written that harmonise more with
women's experience and modern life in general. In recent times,
women's increased activity in Jewish life has provided Judaism
with needed energy, creativity and talent.
*The two opening paragraphs originate from the "Affirmations
of Liberal Judaism" published by Liberal Judaism.
