Re: Kol Ishah again

[Marvin <physchem...>]

----- Original Message -----
From: eliott kahn <elkahn (at) JTSA(dot)EDU>
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: Kol Ishah again


> Jordan:
>
> In defense of Mr. Krakowski, I didn't see any discrediting of halakha,
just
> Kol Isha.
>
> Sometimes things might "evolve" a little quicker if we light a fire under
> the asses of those who maintain the status quo.
>
> I, for one, find the idea that women can't sing publicly to men far less
> appalling than the fact that they can't read Torah or participate in the
> Orthodox service.
>
> I hope the Orthodox (male) rabbinate are at this time considering
> rectifying this situation. One need only look at the "evolution" of
women's
> political rights in America--eighty years to get the vote--to realize that
> this issue involves Jewish law far less than male dominance of religious
> ideas and authority, and a reluctance to forfeit that dominance.
>
> Eliott Kahn

There may be something brewing. I recently read an article (in Jewish Week?)
about an American woman who has been studying to be an Orthodox rabbi in
Israel.  It is by no means certain that she will become an Orthodox rabbi,
but there is a possibility.  In any case, even being allowed to study is a
step forward.

Pressure applied gently but firmly helps.  Judaism survived events like the
destruction of the Temple, and evolved in response to historical changes,
because it is not inflexible.  We have seen it in my lifetime.  The Orthodox
were opposed to Zionism; now, only a tiny minority are firmly anti-Zionist,
and many more are the most fervent Zionists.




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