Traditional Sephardi Feminist

As previously discussed; everyone agrees that Rabbis are male, right? And so the great debate arose amongst liberal jewry on what to call the anomaly of a female rabbi in hebrew. I once heard someone referred to as "Reb Jill." The conservative movement insisted that a woman rabbi was a rav. As in "הרב תעביר דרשה".  The Liberal Orthodox came up with a number of obscure phrases, such as "congregational intern," and then "Maharat (an acronym of something for other)." But it seems the Reform movement won out in the end with their most grammatically correct "Rabbah." Of course they beat out the bunch because they had the following Biblical prooftext supporting them: "רבות בנות עשו חיל, והטלית על כולנה". But all these women candidates for female religious leadership had one thing in common. They all agree that they are not Rabbaniyot. And that's too bad. Traditionally, the Rabbanit is the Hebrew word for the Rabbi...

As  I am rushing to services Yom Kippur Eve in the Kibbutz meeting hall; I encounter two young women dressed in their Yom Kippur best: White Blouses, Flip Flops, Makeup and Skinny Jeans. I too am dressed like that with a White Blouse and Flip Flops, but instead of the jeans I have an ankle length beige skirt. Religious looking and professional, but not too formal. I put almost as much effort into choosing my outfit as I did in preparing the prayers. The young women ask me if I know where services will be taking place. "Which Minyan?" I responded. "the mixed one, which I am going to right now, or the separate one with the Mechitza?" The girls look at each other. "Oh are you the Rabbah???" Am I the Rabbah? I feel myself assuming the warmth-glowing facial expression that seems to be ubiqitious amongst Israeli woman Rabbis. although as I tell the girls, "I'm not a Rabbah, I'm a Hazzanit. We'd love to have you join us." "uhm...