Adopted at the 62nd General Assembly
October, 1993
San Francisco, CA
Background
More than twenty years after Rabbi Sally Priesand became the first woman rabbi in Jewish history and a decade after the Conservative and Reconstructionist Movements followed our initiative, women rabbis still face a number of difficult challenges: a perceived reluctance by certain congregations to consider for rabbinic positions, especially for the position of senior rabbi; compensation inequities that may be based on gender; and sexual condescension and harassment, all of which undermine the very principles of Reform Judaism.
As we have stated in earlier resolutions of this body, these concerns affect all women in Jewish professional life. We reaffirm our determination to correct these egregious affronts to all who confront sexual harassment.
Therefore, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations:
- Calls upon member congregations to consider all qualified individuals for all positions regardless of gender;
- calls upon member congregations to assure equality in compensation for comparably situated individuals regardless of gender; and
- calls upon all institutions of the Reform Movement, including congregations, to initiate training on prevention of sexual discrimination, including harassment, using existing religious and corporate models as a point of departure.