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Mikveh Israel Has First Women’s Eicha Reading
L OCA L
SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF
THIS TISHA
B ’AV,
Congregation Mikveh Israel
observed the fast day differ-
ently than it had in previous
years. On July 16, women congre-
gants from the synagogue
recited the five books
from the Scroll of Eicha, or
Lamentations, to the wider
congregation over Zoom.

This was the first time
women publicly read from the
Scroll of Eicha since Rabbi
Albert Gabbai’s tenure as
rabbi began in 1988, and one
of a series of public readings
Gabbai organized for women at
the shul, including a women’s
reading of the Book of Ruth and
Book of Esther earlier this year.

These readings are a part of
a greater initiative by women
congregants at Congregation
Mikveh Israel, as well as
Gabbai, to engage with Jewish
texts and become more spiritu-
ally involved at the synagogue.

Congregation Mikveh
Israel is the oldest synagogue
in Philadelphia, and it follows
many Orthodox practices of
Sephardic Jews, including the
separation of men and women
in synagogue with a mechitza,
and only allowing men to read
Torah and stand on the bimah;
Gabbai said the shul’s creation
predates the current delinea-
tions of denominations, which
is why he does not consider the
synagogue to be Orthodox.

About three years ago,
several women from the
congregation formed a women’s
group, wanting to become more
connected with each other, but
to also gain more knowledge
about Orthodox rituals.

They asked Gabbai to start
giving weekly lectures to the
group, which soon became
twice a week to accommodate
growing interest.

One of the women who
helped to create the group,
Rachel Harbon, said members
not only gained a foundation of
Talmudic knowledge, but also
a deeper spiritual connection.

“[Gabbai] volunteered
his time for us to have more
knowledge about what the
upcoming readings are in the
synagogue ... which is pretty
cool,” Harbon said. “It’s nice
to have a rabbi that’s involved
with his community, for us to
grow stronger into Judaism.”
The women’s group doesn’t
just benefit women congre-
gants, though, Gabbai said. It’s
a way of increasing engagement
for the whole community.

“Unfortunately, many
people go to High Holiday
services ... And they are passive
attendants in the service. They
are not active participants,”
Gabbai said.

By educating congregants
who haven’t had the same
opportunities as men to learn
Jewish texts, Gabbai hopes to
“break the cycle” of passivity
in his shul.

Technology, such as Zoom
has allowed spiritual engage-
ment in new ways.

According to Rabbanit
Dasi Fruchter of the South
Philadelphia Shtiebel, aesthetics
in synagogue matter. When
Zoom was introduced, aesthetics
of the synagogue — the arrange-
ment of seating, the position
of a bimah — were disrupted.

While this was an adjustment,
it allowed changes to ritual and
programming, including new
opportunities for women, to be
less surprising to congregations.

“It’s so different in the
first place, that it doesn’t feel
as aesthetically shocking,”
Fruchter said.

In addition to a women’s
reading over Zoom this year,
Gabbai will work with the
women’s groups to organize
readings during
Rosh Hashanah, which will be in
person. Gabbai envisions
women being able to sing Rosh
Hashanah prayers on their side
of the mechitza.

These growing opportu-
nities are not just present at
Mikveh Israel, and are not
 Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter, spiritual leader at the South Philadlephia Shtiebel
necessarily new to all Orthodox
spaces in the community.

At Lechu
Neranena Partnership Minyan in Bala
Cynwyd, an Orthodox shul,
women are permitted to “lead
Kabbalat Shabbat, give Divrei
torah, receive aliyot and read
Torah for the community,”
balancing “both halacha” —
Jewish law — “and equality,”
which has helped to forge stronger
connection to Judaism for some
of its women congregants.

“It’s an experience beyond
ritual,” said Carolyn Hochstadter,
a board member and past presi-
dent. “There’s just something
beautiful about leyning (reading
from the Torah) and davening
that really speaks to me.”
Beyond the Philadelphia
area, in Israel, Rabbanit Shira
Courtesy of Dasi Fruchter
Marili Mirvis became the first
woman spiritual leader of an
Orthodox synagogue in April,
The Jerusalem Post reported.

However, every Orthodox
synagogue’s path forward to
incorporate women into ritual
is different and must proceed
at its own pace.

“It’s important to get creative
and not assume that there’s only
one way forward, both philo-
sophically and also spiritually,”
Fruchter said. “Creating prayer
spaces, it’s a dance, to help it be
a transformational place, a place
where people feel valued, where
their voices matter, where you
really feel like you’re praying in
community.” l
srogelberg@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0741
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