The RCA Is Dead

The Rabbinical Council of America is dead, as far as I'm concerned. While never a fan of the organization myself, I now consider them a partner in the destruction of Halachic Judaism. I believe the RCA has lost the right to refer to themselves as an orthodox one. A recent piece in "the Jewish Week" (the only thing Jewish about the paper is the name) cited rumors that the RCA was going to rescind Avi Weiss's membership for officially recognizing Sara Hurwitz as a "Rabbah".

"This will make it clear to everyone that Sara Hurwitz is a full member of our rabbinic staff, a rabbi with the additional quality of a distinct woman’s voice," said the statement issued by Weiss' office

While I hoped it was so, I knew that it would not be.The RCA is supported and funded by many rich and powerful people many who love Avi Weiss. The script was written. Avi Weiss declared that he wouldn't ordain any more women with the title "Rabba". In return, the RCA left him alone.

The RCA must think that we are stupid. As if we didn't see what just happened. What a chillul Hashem! What cowardice in the face of such an abomination! This is a victory for Weiss, who kicked down the fence of the Torah and brought "orthodox" women into the clergy of the so-called "orthodox" camp. He needed to be cast out like a weed. Now he can smirk with satisfaction, knowing that the next generation can carry on his life's ultimate work, a commitment to pluralism and progressive ideals that have everything to do with Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, and nothing at all to do with Torah.

Avi Weiss's activism on behalf of Jews may have been parve, ineffectual, and largely shaped both ideologically and tactically by non-Jewish ideas such as pacifism, but at least he displayed a commitment to the welfare of other Jews. That's a lot more than many other Jews did. So it makes it even more tragic that this will be his legacy. Destroyer of the mesorah, and the bridges of modesty that separate the critical roles of the sexes in perpetuating the mesorah. Unlike segregating people based on some irrelevant trait such as skin color, when it comes to yahadut, "separate but equal" is the most moral code of all. It is the sole guarantor of

The scourge of feminism that has infected large segments of the "modern-orthodox" world is as foreign to Judaism as any pagan rite. The false priests of pluralism that dress in the cloak of "modern-orthodoxy" scored a major victory. It doesn't matter that Avi Weiss said he wouldn't ordain any more Rabbah's. One Rabbah was too many, and she's still retaining her position. That's a victory for him, where I come from.

The RCA is a partner in Weiss's grotesque behavior. Shame on them. They had a chance to show that in their own way (hashkafic differences aside), they were just as committed to the mesorah as the rest of the Torah world was. Halachic Judaism was dealt a mortal blow, and they needed to take an uncompromising stand. The RCA turned it's cheek. They will ultimately pay the price for their silence. As far as I'm concerned, they have nothing to say to Jews who are committed to Torah. They should at least be honest with themselves and drop the charade. Hell, they should drop the "C" in the RCA, and merge with the conservative "Rabbinical Assembly.