Interesting analysis, especially when you compare religions that have female clergy members with religions that don’t or only have them in extremely small numbers (Catholicism & Islam) that are very patriarchal.

I can’t say that I’ve known male rabbis who were especially approachable, with one exception. (But the younger ones may be better). I have a male teacher whom I love dearly and with whom I argue all the time. But a lot of people are intimidated by him, so maybe it’s just this relationship.

I know that women rabbis have struggled to be taken seriously by male colleagues, synagogue boards and congregants, although I hope this is less common nowadays. It’s been a good 15-20 years since women began graduating from yeshivas in noticeable numbers. As they come into large congregations, they tend, at least at first, to be assigned to the school, which is a typical female role. I don’t think there are very many female senior rabbis at large congregations even today.

We now belong to a congregation which is lay-led, and it’s great. Men and women are equally likely to take on all ritual roles.

It occurred to me a while back that our kids, who are in their early 20′s, have never known Judaism without women rabbis. That is a very heartening thought for me!

Interesting stuff about the clergy becoming more female. Do you see this as being a good or bad thing or simply another example of occupational segregation?

[Read in Cockney accent] Not bloody likely!

Only 3% of Fortune 500 companies have a female CEO, the top of the pyramid is still very much a (white) boys club.