Home Home / Exchange with Mike Gruss about Rabbinic…

Correspondence

June-July 1974

Exchange with Mike Gruss about Rabbinic Authority and Women's Liberation (1974)

Women & Judaism

1. Mike Gruss to R. Lamm

1. Mike Gruss to R. Lamm (June 28, 1974)

1. Mike Gruss to R. Lamm (June 28, 1974)

View The Text

This content is currently available in its original PDF format. As we expand the library, we plan to add a text version as well.

Next Letter

RELATED CONTENT

Correspondence

Exchange with Judge Alvin Hellerstein about Counting Women in a Minyan (1973)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, It is after Yom Kippur, and I thought that I should set down for you some of my misgivings about your recent sermon on Jewish women. These came into better focus following some reading today, in the El Am discussion of Berakhoth 20b. If I remember correctly, your position was: (a) Jewish women are not required to perform mitzvot conditioned by time, (b) a minyan cannot depend on an onan for he is not required to say the Shema (or the prayers requiring the presence of a minyan), (c) a minyan cannot depend on the presence of one not commanded to say the Shema, (d) hence women cannot be counted towards a minyan.
Women & Judaism

Correspondence

Exchange with Myrna Pollack about Writing Response on the Role of Women in Judaism (1969)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I recently read the following paragraphs by Bruno Bettelheim about the role Judaism gives to the Jewish woman. He writes: “…And if the Jew was a woman, she felt even more degraded by a religion that required men to thank God each day that He had not created them female. Beyond this I have a feeling which I cannot substantiate. But few religions have been as rejecting of women as was the Jewish one. It was a religion that viewed her very feminity as a curse, that caused men to separate in a place of worship, that even forbade her to uncover her hair, and required her to shave it at marriage. It was this ritual rejection of femininity by her parents, and their own glorification of masculine pursuits, that may have influenced the first kibbutz generation to view man’s work as preferable to women’s, including the work of rearing children.” Bettelheim says, of course, that he cannot substantiate his feeling and thus his statement is nothing more than a generalization. Many people who, like Bettelheim, have not taken the trouble to substantiate their claims, very often express similar sentiments. Would you be interested in writing an article for us on this subject? I can offer you $75 for a 3,000 word piece which I would want to have by the end of March. I do hope you will say yes. Cordially, Merna Pollak, Editor
Women & Judaism

Correspondence

Exchange with R. Abraham Gross about Rabbinical Alliance Statement on Women's Rights Amendment (1972)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Information has come to us that you have made demeaning statements against our organization and statements made by some of our officers during the past week. Since these alleged statements were not made in our presence and the information has come to us from hearsay, we would appreciate hearing from you as to what you actually did say. With fondest regards, we remain Sincerely yours, Rabbi Abraham Gross President
Women & Judaism