Open Orthodox Judaism is a
Jewish religious movement committed to following ''
halakha
''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Torah, Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is ...
'' (Jewish law), emphasizing intellectual openness in Jewish scholarship and
practice, and expanding the role of
women
A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl.
Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional u ...
in Jewish life. The term was coined in 1997 by
Rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
Avi Weiss
Avraham Haim Yosef haCohen Weiss (; born June 24, 1944) is an American Open Orthodox ordained rabbi, author, teacher, lecturer, and activist who led the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in The Bronx, New York until 2015. He is the founder of Yeshi ...
,
who views ''halakha'' as permitting more flexibility than normative
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
had traditionally allowed for.
Weiss opened
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT), a men’s rabbinical school, in 1999 and later founded
Maharat for training women clergy. In 2007, Weiss co-founded the
International Rabbinic Fellowship for Open Orthodox rabbis, and, in 2015, he and Rabbi
Asher Lopatin, YCT's president, resigned from the
Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union (OU). ...
(RCA).
The movement's
ordination of women
The ordination of women to Minister of religion, ministerial or priestly office is an increasingly common practice among some contemporary major religious groups. It remains a controversial issue in certain religious groups in which ordination ...
is a source of friction within Orthodox Judaism.
Overview
Weiss sought to establish an approach to Orthodox Judaism that emphasizes inclusivity and open-mindedness compared to traditional norms. As a result, he founded new educational institutions aimed at training clergy who could implement this vision: YCT's rabbinical school to train
rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
s who would be "open, non-judgmental, knowledgeable, empathetic, and eager to transform Orthodoxy into a movement that meaningfully and respectfully interacts with all Jews, regardless of affiliation, commitment, or background" and, later, Maharat to train equivalent women Jewish clergy and scholars.
In striving for a more "
liberal" Orthodox Judaism, Weiss was required to clarify the differences between the Orthodox and non-Orthodox movements within Judaism. He states that all Orthodox Judaism, including Open Orthodoxy, fundamentally differs from
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism, also known as Masorti Judaism, is a Jewish religious movements, Jewish religious movement that regards the authority of Jewish law and tradition as emanating primarily from the assent of the people through the generations ...
in three areas:
# Orthodox Jews believe that the
Torah
The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
was given by God at
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai, also known as Jabal Musa (), is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is one of several locations claimed to be the Mount Sinai (Bible), biblical Mount Sinai, the place where, according to the sacred scriptures of the thre ...
in its current form.
# Orthodoxy believes that "legal authority is cumulative, and that a contemporary ''
posek
In Jewish law, a ''posek'' ( , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the application of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah, in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities are incon ...
''
ecidercan only issue judgments based on a full history of Jewish legal precedent". In contrast, Conservative Jews believe "precedent provides illustrations of possible positions rather than binding law.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a Philosophy of culture, cultural, Social philosophy, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, Convention (norm), customs, and Value (ethics and social science ...
, therefore, remains free to select whichever position within the prior history appeals to it".
# Orthodoxy is characterized by ritually observant members who "meticulously keep
Shabbat
Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...
(the Sabbath),
Kashrut
(also or , ) is a set of Food and drink prohibitions, dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to halakha, Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed ko ...
(the Dietary Laws), ''
Taharat ha-Mishpaḥa'' (the Laws of Family Purity), and
pray
File:Prayers-collage.png, 300px, alt=Collage of various religionists praying – Clickable Image, Collage of various religionists praying ''(Clickable image – use cursor to identify.)''
rect 0 0 1000 1000 Shinto festivalgoer praying in front ...
three times a day". In contrast, Conservative Judaism "is generally not composed of ritually observant Jews. Thus, only in our community if a 'permissive custom' is accepted, can it be meaningful."
In the matter of conversion to Judaism, Weiss encountered difficulties with being accepted by the
Israeli Rabbinate.
Terminology
Although "Open Orthodox" was widely used in various portions of the movement, that ended in 2017.
YCT wrote "'Open Orthodox' is not a term that we use to describe ourselves, nor is it part of any language on our site, mission, marketing materials, etc." The affiliated women's rabbinical seminary, Maharat, also no longer does.
Sylvia Barack Fishman, a professor of
Judaic studies at
Brandeis University
Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...
, stated that some critics use the term "Open Orthodox" derogatorily rather than descriptively to delegitimize
Modern Orthodox Jewish leaders, institutions, and laypersons who support women’s leadership in Judaism.
Institutions
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
In 1999 Weiss founded
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School (YCT), which is currently located in the
Riverdale section of the
Bronx
The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
, New York. Following its opening as a
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
, a rabbinical school was opened in September 2000 with its first class of seven students. While the institution today described itself as
Modern Orthodox, YCT, until recently, described itself as an "Open Orthodox," and its mission statement made heavy use of the term its founder Weiss had coined.
Controversies over YCT came to a head when in 2006 YCT applied for membership in the
Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union (OU). ...
, the rabbinical body affiliated with the
Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs f ...
, the largest North American
Modern and Centrist Orthodox body. YCT subsequently withdrew their application when it became apparent that the application would be denied.
The
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School (YCT) states on its website that it is Modern Orthodox rabbinical school.
International Rabbinic Fellowship
The
International Rabbinic Fellowship (IRF) is a
Modern Orthodox rabbinical organization founded by Rabbis
Avi Weiss
Avraham Haim Yosef haCohen Weiss (; born June 24, 1944) is an American Open Orthodox ordained rabbi, author, teacher, lecturer, and activist who led the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in The Bronx, New York until 2015. He is the founder of Yeshi ...
and
Marc D. Angel in 2007.
The group is open to graduates of
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. The group's current president is Rabbi Yonah Berman. The group is noted for being the only Orthodox rabbinical association to admit
women rabbis
Women rabbis and Torah scholars are Jews, Jewish women who have received formal ''semikhah'' (rabbinic ordination) as rabbis or are recognized for their studies and contributions to Judaism, Jewish religious tradition, respectively. The ordination ...
as members.
[
]
Religious positions
Ordination of women
In May 2009, Weiss announced the opening of Yeshivat Maharat, a new school to train women as ''Maharat'', an acronym for the Hebrew (halakhic, spiritual, and Torah leader), a title he created for a female version of a rabbi. The school's mission, according to its website, is "to train Orthodox women as spiritual leaders and halakhic authorities" in a four-year full-time course. Sara Hurwitz was appointed dean of Yeshivat Maharat. On June 16, 2013 the first class of female ''maharats'' graduated from Yeshivat Maharat.
Sara Hurwitz
In June 2009 Weiss ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
Sara Hurwitz as rabbi, giving her the title of ''Maharat''. She was the first formally ordained Open Orthodox woman.
In February 2010 Weiss announced that Hurwitz would henceforth be known by the title of ''Rabba''. The move sparked widespread criticism in the Orthodox world. The Agudath Israel Council of Torah Sages issued a public statement suggesting that Weiss should no longer be considered Orthodox, declaring that "these developments represent a radical and dangerous departure from Jewish tradition and the mesoras haTorah, and must be condemned in the strongest terms. Any congregation with a woman in a rabbinical position of any sort cannot be considered Orthodox." Rumors circulated in the Jewish press that RCA considered expelling Weiss. Under pressure from the RCA, Weiss pledged not to ordain anybody else "rabba", although Hurwitz retains the title.
Shortly afterwards, the RCA passed a resolution praising the increased Torah education of women in the Orthodox world encouraging "halachically and communally appropriate professional opportunities" for them, but stating: "We cannot accept either the ordination of women or the recognition of women as members of the Orthodox rabbinate, regardless of title." This was followed by an RCA ruling issued in October 2015 that women may not be ordained, hired as rabbinical clergy, nor titled as such.
Subsequent ordinations
In 2015 Yaffa Epstein was ordained as "Rabba" by Yeshivat Maharat, which Weiss founded. Also in 2015, Lila Kagedan was ordained as rabbi by that same organization, which made her their first graduate to take the title rabbi. In 2016 Lila Kagedan became the first female clergy member hired by an Open Orthodox synagogue while using the title "rabbi." This occurred when Mount Freedom Jewish Center in New Jersey, which is Open Orthodox, hired Kagedan to join their "spiritual leadership team." In 2018 Dina Brawer, born in Italy but living in Britain, was ordained by Yeshivat Maharat and thus became Britain's first female Open Orthodox rabbi; she chose the title Rabba.
Reception
Orthodox criticism
The vast majority of rabbis within Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
have opposed Weiss' approach to halacha, with Orthodox opposition to Weiss' views, community and institutions (both YCT and Yeshivat Maharat) growing over time. Open Orthodoxy and its proponents have met with harsh criticism and disapproval from within Orthodoxy. Prominent leaders from both the ultra-Orthodox
Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...
and central or Modern Orthodox communities have levelled harsh critiques of actions and beliefs of Open Orthodox individuals or institutions, stating that Open Orthodoxy is not Orthodox Judaism, but rather akin to the Reform
Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...
and Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
movements.
At the 92nd Agudath Israel of America
Agudath Israel of America (; also called the Agudah) is an American organization that represents Haredi Judaism, Haredi Orthodox Jews. It is loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. Agudah seeks to meet the needs of the Har ...
Gala in 2014, the Novominsk
Novominsk is a Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic List of Hasidic dynasties, dynasty, originating in Mińsk Mazowiecki, Poland, and now based in the United States. It also runs a yeshiva known as Yeshivas Novominsk - Kol Yehuda, currently led by Rabbi Yosef ...
er Rebbe, Yaakov Perlow
Yaakov Perlow ( ; November 16, 1930 – April 7, 2020) was an American Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic rabbi and rosh yeshiva, and Rebbe of the Novominsk List of Hasidic dynasties, Hasidic dynasty. From 1998 until his death in 2020, he was presiden ...
, condemned Open Orthodoxy, describing it as "a new danger... that also seeks to subvert the sacred meaning of Judaism, that is steeped in heresy
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy.
Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...
…"
A year and a half later, in November 2015, Agudath Israel of America
Agudath Israel of America (; also called the Agudah) is an American organization that represents Haredi Judaism, Haredi Orthodox Jews. It is loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. Agudah seeks to meet the needs of the Har ...
denounced moves to ordain women, and went even further, declaring Open Orthodoxy, Yeshivat Maharat, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and other affiliated entities to be similar to other dissident movements throughout Jewish history in having rejected basic tenets of Judaism.
The Conference of European Rabbis followed suit that same month, stating, "The Conference views with great pain the deviations from religious foundations emanating from the movement called 'Open Orthodoxy', and warns that those who act in this spirit, alumni of the aforementioned movement... will not be recognized by us as rabbis, with all that entails." Jonathan Guttentag of Manchester, UK, explained that by systematically testing the boundaries of normative Jewish practice, Open Orthodoxy "has pushed the envelope that bit far, and... led to positions which take its proponents outside the Orthodox umbrella."
Similar sentiments were echoed in a press release of a ruling by Igud HaRabbonim on February 22, 2018, likening Open Orthodoxy to Reform and Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism, also known as Masorti Judaism, is a Jewish religious movements, Jewish religious movement that regards the authority of Jewish law and tradition as emanating primarily from the assent of the people through the generations ...
, and stating, "The clergy of this movement are espousing philosophies of the generation of the Sin of the Golden Calf
According to the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran, the golden calf () was a cult image made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai (bible), Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as "the sin of the calf" (). It is first mentio ...
."
Prominent Central Orthodoxy leaders have also stated that Open Orthodox practices or beliefs are incongruent with Orthodox Judaism. These include Hershel Schacter, Rosh Yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...
at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a Private university, private Modern Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City. and Avrohom Gordimer, a rabbinic coordinator at OU Kosher among others.
Rabbi Aharon Feldman has been an opponent of Open Orthodoxy. He argues that "The basis of Orthodox Judaism is a belief in the Divine origin of both the Oral and Written Torah. Yeshivat Chovevei Torah’s leaders or their graduates have said clearly or implicitly on many occasions that they do not accept that the Torah was authored by Hashem, that parts of the Torah can be excised, and that the Oral Law was developed by Rabbis to adjust the Written Torah to the realities of the time that they lived in. This basic philosophy is what writes them out of Orthodox Jewry."
OU/RCA response
In 2012, Steven Pruzansky, rabbi of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck () is a Township (New Jersey), township in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. The town is know for their pancake throwing contest held ...
and a trustee of the Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union (OU). ...
(RCA) on the Board of the Beth Din of America, contrasted Weiss' approach with that of early 20th century American Conservative Judaism and has asserted would more aptly be called "Neo-Conservative" rather than "Orthodox" Judaism. Concluding an opinion piece in Matzav.com he elaborated:
Moshe Averick, a columnist for the Jewish magazine '' Algemeiner Journal'' agrees with Pruzansky that Weiss has created a new Jewish movement in America, comparing him with Isaac Mayer Wise
Isaac Mayer Wise (29 March 1819 – 26 March 1900) was an American Reform rabbi, editor, and author.
Early life
Wise was born on 29 March 1819 in Steingrub in Bohemia (today Lomnička, a part of Plesná in the Czech Republic). He was the son ...
(founder of Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish religious movements, Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its Jewish ethics, ethical aspects to its ceremo ...
in America) and Solomon Schechter
Solomon Schechter (; 7 December 1847 – 19 November 1915) was a Moldavian-born British-American rabbi, academic scholar and educator, most famous for his roles as founder and President of the United Synagogue of America, President of the ...
(founder of Conservative Judaism in the United States). He compared Weiss's ordination of three women as Maharat on June 16, 2013, with the so-called Trefa Banquet of 1883, which marked the split between Reform and Traditional Judaism in America. Says Averick: "Weiss' movement, a form of Judaism that enthusiastically embraces the ideologies of feminism and liberal-progressive-modernism while coating it with a strong Orthodox flavor, could accurately be labeled as Ortho-Feminist Progressive Judaism," but "the term coined by Rabbi Steven Pruzansky … Neo-Conservative Judaism … has managed to fit neatly into the slot to the left of Orthodox Judaism and to the right of Conservative Judaism." In October 2013, dozens of rabbis who defined themselves as "members in good standing or hoidentify with the Rabbinical Council of America", signed a letter arguing that Open Orthodoxy has "plunged ahead, again and again, across the border that divides Orthodoxy from neo-Conservatism".
The Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs f ...
(OU), Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union (OU). ...
(RCA) and National Council of Young Israel have all in turn responded to Open Orthodoxy by severing their ties with the Open Orthodox institutions. The RCA does not accredit the rabbinic qualifications of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah or Yeshivat Maharat graduates, the OU and Young Israel do not accept females as rabbinic clergy, and Young Israel Synagogues no longer accept candidates with YCT accreditation.
Furthermore, in response to Open Orthodoxy new organizations have arisen within Orthodox Judaism as a result of the desire to actively and emphatically voice opposition or critiques against Open Orthodox positions or actions when the pre-existing Orthodox organizations have been slow to voice decisive opinions. These include the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) and Traditional Orthodox Rabbis of America (TORA).
Response to Orthodox criticism
According to Marc Shapiro, Avrohom Gordimer "has assumed the mantle of defender of the faith" and "sees his goal as exposing the non-Orthodox nature of Open Orthodoxy". Shapiro stated that to "deny them the simple courtesy of mentioning their names … is in my opinion simply disgraceful". Gordimer responded in an article in Cross Currents. Ysoscher Katz, Chair, Department of Talmud, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, has also threatened legal action against Cross Currents despite claims on Facebook that he was open to these debates, if they "continue to publish Avrohom Gordimer’s libelous and unfounded accusations against me."
In contrast to the negative stance of the Orthodox rabbinic community, Steven Bayme, National Director of Jewish Communal Affairs at the American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is a civil rights group and Jewish advocacy group established on November 11, 1906. It is one of the oldest Jewish advocacy organizations and, according to ''The New York Times'', is "widely regarded as the wi ...
, sees Open Orthodoxy as the most authentic form of Modern Orthodoxy. In reference to the installation of Asher Lopatin as incoming president of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, Bayme said: "The event demonstrated the power of an Orthodoxy that is truly modern, in the sense of synthesizing modern scholarship and culture with Judaic tradition and learning, and an 'Open Orthodoxy', open to all Jews and open to hearing other viewpoints."
Two years later Lopatin resigned from the Rabbinical Council of America.
YCT, itself, the brainchild of Weiss, however, ultimately reacted to the severe Orthodox disapproval by attempting, at least in name, to distance itself from the term "Open Orthodoxy". The school has removed all references to Open Orthodoxy on its website, replacing "open" with "modern". In an interview with the '' Jewish Week'' in August 2017, Asher Lopatin, the school's president said: “When they say, ‘Open Orthodox,’ I say, ‘We are Modern Orthodox. We are a full part of Modern Orthodoxy.’” Modern and mainstream orthodox leaders dispute that affiliation.
The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale
The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, commonly called The Shalom bayit, Bayit, is a Modern Orthodoxy, Modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue at 3700 Henry Hudson Parkway in the Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx in New ...
, where Weiss served as rabbi ("Senior Rabbi") until his retirement in 2015, and where he continues as "Rabbi in Residence", continues to define itself as "an open Orthodox synagogue."
International Rabbinic Fellowship
Together with Marc D. Angel, Weiss established the International Rabbinic Fellowship (IRF), which is open to graduates of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Founded in 2007, its current president is Rabbi Yonah Berman.
IRF is a fellowship of Open Orthodox Judaism, rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
s and spiritual leaders. It admits female members, supports the ordination of women and their role in the clergy.
References
{{reflist
Jewish religious movements