<HTML>In response to my friend and teacher, Joel Wolowelsky, let me say the
following:
1. You can add Midreshet Lindenbaum to the list of women's schools where
women are encouraged to do zimmun. I am sure there are other schools that
simply did not respond to this list, but I also fear that their number is
small. I recall that when I was director at Lindenbaum, many of our
students reported that students from other women's schools (not to mention
the yeshiva guys!) felt that women's zimmun was some sort of radical
feminist position (the Gra, Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach, and others
notwithstanding). I would like to hope that has changed, but would be
curious to hear from others.
2. Which leads me to my next point: zimmun, holding lulav in shul, and
saying kaddish are different than sitting in the sukka, benching lulav at
home, and learning Torah. The difference is the more public nature of the
former. There is still reticence to have women in public -- especially
leadership -- positions (including acting as school principals!). This
while the modern Orthodox community accepts women as top-notch lawyers,
doctors, teachers, business professionals, and as heads of companies and
organizations. It will change; it is changing...but slowly. I think that
the opposition from some men has a silent, very powerful partner: many
women fear being labeled as "feminists," which has become a dirty word in
our community. Women's piety is much more acceptable, for now, in the
private realm.
David I. Bernstein, Ph.D.
Dean, Machon Pardes
Jerusalem</HTML>
