Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is “Open Orthodoxy”?
A. The term “Open Orthodoxy” was coined by Rabbi Avi Weiss. The main beliefs of this religious worldview include the rejection of the approach of relying on a small group of Torah scholars to decide all social and political matters; a belief that all knowledge is part of a sacred world so secular culture and knowledge should be embraced; open support for the modern State of Israel; expanded roles for women; pluralism and the importance of political activism.
Q. What impact does the Open Orthodox philosophy have on women?
A. Open Orthodoxy supports expanded roles for women not only in the workplace, but in the religious life of the community, encouraging women’s full participation as students of Judaism and as its leaders.
Q. What does “mahara"t” mean?
A. Mahara”t is an acronym, in Hebrew, for manhiga hilkhatit, rukhanit vTorahnit, meaning, someone who is a spiritual leader trained in Torah and the intricacies of Jewish law.
Q What will graduates of Yeshivat Maharat be qualified to do?
A. Each student who completes the YM course of study in Tanakh, Talmud, halakha and Jewish Thought, and is deemed fit by virtue of her faith, knowledge of our mesoret, ethical integrity and temperament to assume a position of religious leadership in an Orthodox institution will be confirmed as a spiritual and halakhic leader.
Q. What are the halakhic sources relied upon to grant women the authority to render psak for other individuals or for the community?
A. Over the centuries many shaylot (questions of a religious nature) have been asked regarding the education of women and the positions of leadership available to women within a halakhic society (one which operates according to Jewish law). There are many responsa from different rabbinic authorities, in different time periods and in different places supporting women’s education and leadership.
From a practical point of view, it is worth noting that historically many women have led the people, taught Torah and rendered psak (Jewish legal rulings). The prophet Deborah (during the time of the Judges, around 1200 BCE), Queen Shlomzion (during the Hasmonean period, around 100 BCE) and Marat Hava Bachrach (granddaughter of the Maharal; mid 17th century) are just three examples from different periods. The famous scholar the Chofetz Chaim himself (early 20th century) ruled that girls should be given a comprehensive Torah education, resulting in the establishment of the Bais Yaaov Schools and revolutionizing education for women.
In 2009, Rabbi Daniel Sperber of the Ludwig and Erica Jesselson Institute for Advanced Torah Studies in Jerusalem, Harav Yoel Bin-Nun, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivat Kibbutz Hadati in Israel and Rabbi Joshua Maroof of Beit Eliahu Synagogue in Rockville, Maryland issued responsa supporting the ordination of Sara Hurwitz whose training was supervised by Rabbi Avi Weiss of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in New York City.
For more, please see “Responsa Regarding Women’s Roles in Religious Leadership.”