Jewish community as well as the Central Conference. My two additional volumes of responsa were published by the Conference in succeeding years.” A more recent volume under the leadership of Mark Washofsky followed.” In 1990 the newly established Solomon B. Freehof Institute for Progressive Halakhah, which founded along with Moshe Zemer , have brought halahkhic views on a wide variety of contemporary issues to the broader Jewish public. They also continue a more democratic and open approach as they do not seek to provide a single answer to the issues discussed, but represent a range of scholarly opinions. This effort will not replace responsa as those who ask specific questions seek an answer, not essays. The sixteen volumes of halakhic essays and responsa thus far published continue to provide a forum for halakhah in the Reform decision making process.”® These volumes and symposia have dealt with a very wide range of topics from birth control and conversion to war and terrorism with essays by dozens of colleagues and academics.
These paths of responsa and halakhic studies represent an effort to include the tradition in a systematic but non-binding way in the structure of the Central Conference. The Pittsburgh statement of 1999 indicates a greater bond with the tradition. This older path continues to be part of the mechanism of change. Yet it has been clothed in the garb of democracy and so functions within those limits.
SOME CONCLUSIONS
Let us begin with feminism. While change in some areas came swiftly, in others it was surprisingly slow. Despite the series of questions on women which Napoleon asked, none of the Jewish responses even hinted that progress for women was necessary and a logical step in the emancipation of all Jews .
In the early nineteenth century progress in young women's education came slowly with small steps taken in a number of cities.
~~ PS(SO rm pm pee ee