Changes in the Conservative position Women in Judaism

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prior 1973, conservative judaism had more limited roles women , more similar current modern orthodoxy, changes on issues including mixed seating, synagogue corporate leadership, , permitting women called torah. in 1973, cjls of rabbinical assembly voted, without issuing opinion, women count in minyan. there special commission appointed conservative movement study issue of ordaining women rabbis, met between 1977 , 1978, , consisted of eleven men , 3 women; women marian siner gordon, attorney, rivkah harris, assyriologist, , francine klagsbrun, writer. in 1983, jewish theological seminary of america (jtsa) faculty voted, without accompanying opinion, ordain women rabbis , cantors. paula hyman, among others, took part in vote member of jts faculty.

in 2002, cjls adapted responsum rabbi david fine, women , minyan, provides official religious-law foundation women counting in minyan , explains current conservative approach role of women in prayer. responsum holds although jewish women not traditionally have same obligations men, conservative women have, collective whole, voluntarily undertaken them. because of collective undertaking, fine responsum holds conservative women eligible serve agents , decision-makers others. responsum holds traditionally minded communities , individual women can opt out without being regarded conservative movement sinning. adopting responsum, cjls found in position provide considered jewish-law justification egalitarian practices, without having rely on potentially unconvincing arguments, undermine religious importance of community , clergy, ask individual women intrusive questions, repudiate halakhic tradition, or label women following traditional practices sinners.

in 2006, cjls adopted 3 responsa on subject of niddah, reaffirmed obligation of conservative women abstain sexual relations during , following menstruation , immerse in mikvah prior resumption, while liberalizing observance requirements including shortening length of niddah period, lifting restrictions on non-sexual contact during niddah, , reducing circumstances under spotting , similar conditions mandate abstinence.

in cases, continuing orthodox approach upheld option. individual conservative rabbis , synagogues not required adopt of these changes, , small number have adopted none of them.