The Female Factor

I sent out the press releases on Rabbi Robin last week, and following the lead of her former congregation we did not stress the Female Thing at all. I think that is fair enough, because she is far more than her gender, but for good and ill, it is newsworthy.

The Conservative Movement started ordaining female rabbis in 1985. There is a congregation in the northern suburbs that has had a female rabbi for 20 years. But she has been the only one in a senior rabbi (not assistant) position in the Chicago area until now.

Though the overwhelming sentiment among the congregants is that having a woman rabbi is pretty cool, there are some who don't like it. My hope is that for every one who leaves, two or three will give us a look and join.

Looking back, it's funny to contemplate that I wanted a woman from the get-go, though the first dozen resumes we got last fall were all from men. I thought, "oh well," especially when we did get a resume from a woman -- she looked strange on paper but interviewed well -- and when we invited her for an in-person interview she ended up being tone-deaf and out-there.

When our two lead candidates came for visits (this was in February), both guys, it was almost a certainty we'd have a male rabbi. And I was fine with that. But funny how it all works out. They both turned us down, and just when we despaired that we'd be stuck with another year of Rabbi M., her resume appeared like manna from heaven.