Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Orth. Jewish Woman to Open Philly Synagogue; Rejects Orth. Rule That Forbids Women Rabbis

A woman ordained by the Orthodox Yeshivat Maharat is opening her own synagogue in Philadelphia, the Times of Israel website reports today (August 1, 2018).

Rabbanit Hadas Fruchter, 28, announced on July 29 that she will open a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Philadelphia with seed money from Start Up Shul and support from Hillel's Office of Innovation, which gave her a one-year Fellowship for Rabbinic Entrepreneurs.

The synagogue, which does not have a location, is scheduled to open in the summer of 2019. Fruchter has served as assistant spiritual leader at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac, Maryland, since 2016. She was ordained that year by Yeshivat Maharat, a liberal Orthodox seminary in New York City.

It is unlikely her synagogue will be accepted to join the Orthodox Union, which earlier this year ruled that women should not hold clergy positions. Unlike the other two major branches of Judaism -- Reform and Conservative -- Orthodox Judaism forbids women from celebrating religious services as rabbis.

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