Gender-Differentiated Davening Policy Update

At the spring Board meeting held April 3, 2011 in Philadelphia, the Board voted to rescind the decision it had taken at the November, 2010 meeting, which would have permitted the Institute Planning Committee to organize an official "Partnership Minyan" at the 2011 Summer Institute. As a result, the Board has reaffirmed the prior policy that gender-differentiated davening is permitted to take place at the Summer Institute only if it is privately organized. Mindful of the depth, strength, and diversity of the community's feelings about this issue, the Board has encouraged the Institute Planning Committee to include programming during the Institute that will allow interested members of the community to have a respectful, searching, and deep conversation about the issues raised in this discussion. The board will be shown these plans before they are finalized to ensure they comply with our policies. We look forward to your participation in this discussion.