208 elected Reform Responsa

Rabbi Englander: Personally, I was surprised to learn that the Board of Governors submitted this question to the Conference. I thought that after the faculty—a body composed of the teach­ers—had taken action, that would be sufficient guidance for action on the part of the Board of Governors . However, I wish to touch on one argument which has been raised to the effect that if we admit women as rabbis we would tend to create a schism in Israel . During all the conferences in recent years there have been many actions that we would not have taken had we feared this. We would not have set ourselves on record against Zionism . I lad fear been taken into consideration, we would not have taken a stand on many subjects. Twenty years ago, this Conference put itself on record favoring absolute religious equality of women with men. Are we going back on our own action? In spite of all the arguments advanced by Dr. Lauterbach, the faculty set itself on record as favoring the ordination of women, although it stated that at the present time it believed it was impractical for women to enter the rabbinate. But I do not believe that the ques­tion of practicability is for us to decide. The only question before us is: shall we, in the light of Reform Judaism, put ourselves in favor of admitting women to the rabbinate?

A motion is made that further discussion be discontinued.

Rabbi Morgenstern: I do not care to express any opinion upon this subject, because—you can readily understand—inasmuch as this question has been submitted by the College authorities to the Conference to get an expression of opinion, I am here rather to listen than to offer any opinion I myself may have. I realize that the time of the Conference is very precious and that you cannot afford to give more time than is necessary to the discus­sion of this question, but I believe that the question is of such importance that it ought to justify the expenditure of as much time as may be necessary for a thorough discussion of the ques­tion. Several of the men lay emphasis upon the significance of

the principle of not breaking with catholic Israel . We have heard

the arguments, but there are several valuable thoughts which have not yet been presented. And there is one phase of the ques­tion which has not been adequately discussed. We can all accept