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Agraduate of a women's seminary that has been the cause of controversy in the Orthodox world has been hired by Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah, an Orthodox synagogue in Potomac.
When Hadas Fruchter becomes assistant spiritual leader there in July, she will be the second graduate of Yeshivat Maharat to work at a Washington-area Orthodox synagogue teaching Torah, offering pastoral care and bringing members closer to Judaism.
Yeshivat Maharat was founded by Rabbi Avi Weiss, the force behind of the Open Orthodox movement who has called for the ordination of women. The Rabbinical Council of America, America's main modern Orthodox rabbinical association, voted in October to ban the hiring of clergywomen by its members, reiterating nearly identical positions it made in 2010 and 2013.
But Beth Sholom's leaders say that by hiring Fruchter, the synagogue is filling a staff position, not making a statement.
"She is the most qualified person for what we were looking for," said congregation president David Felsen. "I don't believe it's a political statement. I really don't. We were looking for an assistant spiritual leader."
A Silver Spring native, Fruchter, 26, was one of seven candidates the congregation considered, a group consisting of five men and two women. When Beth Sholom narrowed the search down to three, Fruchter and two men remained.
Candidates were drawn from a number of institutions, including Yeshiva University and Yeshivat...