Second female “rabba” to be ordained
A second woman will be ordained under the title rabba.The Academy of Jewish Religion in Riverdale is set to ordain Kaya Stern-Kaufman, 47, of Great Barrington, Mass., at a ceremony on May 12, the New York Jewish Week reported Wednesday.Her ordination comes a year after Rabbi Avi Weiss, who heads the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, a modern Orthodox synagogue in the Bronx, conferred the title rabba on Sara Hurwitz, who serves the congregation, causing controversy throughout the Orthodox world.A month after ordaining Hurwitz, Weiss said that he would no longer ordain women with the title rabba. Weiss is not affiliated with the Academy of Jewish Religion.Stern-Kaufman, who previously worked as a clinical social worker and as a Feng Shui consultant in architecture, and as a part-time Jewish educator, is following seven generations of Orthodox rabbis in her family, the Jewish Week reports. ByREUTERS06/08/2025 07:57 AMByREUTERS06/08/2025 05:36 AMByMAARIV06/07/2025 02:33 PMByWALLA!06/07/2025 11:18 AMByREUTERS06/07/2025 03:25 AM
