Women in Leadership

JOFA advocates for increased opportunities for women in the religious sphere, such as:

• function as religious, spiritual and halakhic leaders in synagogues and communities

• assume professional and lay leadership roles in all spheres of communal life-e.g. Orthodox synagogue Presidents, Heads of Day Schools and Chairs of Orthodox organizations

• teach Talmud and halakha in institutions of higher learning

We applaud the exceptionally capable women who currently serve in key positions within the community and the many more young women who seek to function and succeed as future communal religious leaders. We encourage their aspirations, their religious learning, halakhic commitment, and generous service to the community. The Jewish community will be greatly enriched when women are able to fully utilize their talents and leadership potential.
We assist the individual teachers and rabbis who provide the educational opportunities, mentorships and experiences that form the necessary foundation upon which to build these expanded roles. We also support the schools that foster the concept of women’s leadership and offer opportunities for higher Jewish learning.

We partner with organizations and individuals looking to provide meaningful professional religious and communal training and opportunities for women.

We recognize many members of the Orthodox community do not believe, as we do, that women should be acknowledged as members of the Orthodox clergy. In our view, our differences should be viewed under the rubric of “kol mahloket she’hi le’shem shamayim…,” an argument for the sake of Heaven.

We encourage you, our members and supporters, to join your voice with ours in advocating for expanding both the quality and quantity of meaningful leadership experiences open to women in Orthodox institutions today.

Statements:

• Click here to read JOFA’s letters to the Members of the RCA
• Click here to read JOFA’s Statement on the RCA Resolution on Women’s Communal Roles in Orthodox Jewish Life
• Click here to read JOFA’s Statement on Mahara”t Sara Hurwitz and Yeshivat Mahara”t
• Click here to read Response on Women and Ordination 

Read Reflections from Women Leaders in the JOFA Journal: