Rabba Sara Hurwitz
1977 CE · Modern · Riverdale (Bronx, NYC)
Rabba Sara Hurwitz (b. 1977) is the first woman to receive Orthodox rabbinic ordination — a step so contested it sparked a fight over what to even call her. R. Avi Weiss and R. Daniel Sperber conferred it in March 2009, first titling her 'Maharat' (a Hebrew acronym for 'Jewish-legal, spiritual, and Torah leader') before granting her the title 'Rabba' (the feminine of Rav) in January 2010. The decision drew intense condemnation from the Agudath Israel and the RCA (the Rabbinical Council of America), and remains controversial in centrist and right-Orthodox circles to this day.
Born in South Africa and raised in Florida, she serves as senior Rabba of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (HIR) alongside its founder, R. Avi Weiss. In 2009 she co-founded Yeshivat Maharat, the first Orthodox yeshiva to ordain women, where she serves as President and Dean. Yeshivat Maharat has now ordained dozens of women rabbis serving congregations across the Open Orthodox world.
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Riverdale (Bronx, NYC)American Orthodoxy
What they did here
Senior Rabba of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale and Dean of Yeshivat Maharat, both in Riverdale (Bronx), NY.
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