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A Jewish Pathbreaker Inspired by Her Countryman Mandela A Jewish Pathbreaker Inspired by Her Countryman Mandela
(about 7 hours later)
On the Sunday in mid-June when a yeshiva in Manhattan ordained three women as Orthodox Jewish religious leaders, Nelson Mandela lay in a Pretoria hospital for the second week with a life-threatening lung infection. Six time zones and 8,000 miles separated these two events. One golden thread, however, bound them together.On the Sunday in mid-June when a yeshiva in Manhattan ordained three women as Orthodox Jewish religious leaders, Nelson Mandela lay in a Pretoria hospital for the second week with a life-threatening lung infection. Six time zones and 8,000 miles separated these two events. One golden thread, however, bound them together.
That connection was Sara Hurwitz, the dean of Yeshivat Maharat, which had educated the women. She was the first woman ever to have been designated a maharat — an acronym from the Hebrew words for a teacher of Jewish law and spirituality — and to subsequently receive the title rabba. For Ms. Hurwitz, born and raised in South Africa during the turbulent years of apartheid, Mr. Mandela had long served as the inspiration for her journey to breaking the gender barrier in the Orthodox Jewish rabbinate. That connection was Sara Hurwitz, the dean of Yeshivat Maharat, which had educated the women. She was the first woman ever to have been designated a maharat — an acronym from the Hebrew words for a teacher of Jewish law and spirituality — and to subsequently receive the title of “rabba” from the maverick Orthodox rabbi who had trained her, Avi Weiss. For Ms. Hurwitz, born and raised in South Africa during the turbulent years of apartheid, Mr. Mandela had long served as the inspiration for her journey to breaking the gender barrier in the Orthodox Jewish rabbinate.
“I looked at this person as someone who could have been so angry and so disappointed at the land that incarcerated him for so many years for civil disobedience,” Rabba Hurwitz, 36, said in a recent interview. “And he walked out of prison and formed a peaceful government. He could have focused on the injustice of it all, the time he had lost. But instead he saw this newfound freedom as a chance to make change and do what was right. Marching forward, one step after the other, toward justice, without anger.”“I looked at this person as someone who could have been so angry and so disappointed at the land that incarcerated him for so many years for civil disobedience,” Rabba Hurwitz, 36, said in a recent interview. “And he walked out of prison and formed a peaceful government. He could have focused on the injustice of it all, the time he had lost. But instead he saw this newfound freedom as a chance to make change and do what was right. Marching forward, one step after the other, toward justice, without anger.”
At one level, the story of Mandela and the maharat is idiosyncratic and unlikely. At another, it is richly, complexly suggestive of the experience of Jews in South Africa. At one level, the story of Mr. Mandela and the maharat is idiosyncratic and unlikely. At another, it is richly, complexly suggestive of the Jewish experience in South Africa.
Jews, including the politician Helen Suzman, the underground activist Lionel Bernstein and the Communist Party leader Joe Slovo, constituted a significant share of white leaders in the anti-apartheid movement. Yet Israel maintained a lucrative arms trade and an unofficial alliance with the South African government, despite its historic strains of anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathies. In addition, the African National Congress allied itself with Palestinian guerrillas waging armed struggle against Israel.Jews, including the politician Helen Suzman, the underground activist Lionel Bernstein and the Communist Party leader Joe Slovo, constituted a significant share of white leaders in the anti-apartheid movement. Yet Israel maintained a lucrative arms trade and an unofficial alliance with the South African government, despite its historic strains of anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathies. In addition, the African National Congress allied itself with Palestinian guerrillas waging armed struggle against Israel.
Underlying these opposing trends was the precarious situation of the Jewish minority in a nation built on rigid racial categories. Not unlike their brethren in the American South during segregation, South African Jews understood that they were viewed by the white power structure as racially ambiguous and politically suspect. Standing up for freedom invited retaliation.Underlying these opposing trends was the precarious situation of the Jewish minority in a nation built on rigid racial categories. Not unlike their brethren in the American South during segregation, South African Jews understood that they were viewed by the white power structure as racially ambiguous and politically suspect. Standing up for freedom invited retaliation.
Born in 1977, a year after the Soweto uprising, Sara Hurwitz grew up in the characteristic bubble of white South Africa — with news coverage of political opposition tightly controlled and the black masses penned out of sight in townships. The one black person whom she knew was her family’s maid. Born in 1977, a year after the Soweto uprising, Sara Hurwitz grew up in the characteristic bubble of white South Africa, with news coverage of political opposition tightly controlled and the black masses out of sight in townships. The one black person she knew was her family’s maid.
One day at age 11, riding toward a bat mitzvah reception, her awakening commenced. The family car got lost and took a wrong turn into a township. One of the adults ordered the children to crouch down. She peeked out long enough to see “dilapidated shanties, broken houses.” One day at 11, riding toward a bat mitzvah reception, her awakening commenced. The family got lost and took a wrong turn into a township. One of the adults ordered the children to crouch down. She peeked out long enough to see “dilapidated shanties, broken houses.”
That revelation fit into a larger picture that she began to glean from her mother, Melanie Hurwitz, and her maternal grandmother, Grace Moritz. Both of them had publicly protested against apartheid, Mrs. Moritz sometimes alongside Helen Suzman. That revelation fit into a larger picture that she began to glean from her mother, Melanie Hurwitz, and her maternal grandmother, Grace Moritz. Both of them had protested against apartheid, Mrs. Moritz sometimes alongside Helen Suzman.
“My mother was probably a generation ahead of herself,” Melanie Hurwitz recalled in a recent interview. “She instilled in her children, and I tried to instill in mine, that everyone has a right to live, to take advantage of the opportunities around them.”“My mother was probably a generation ahead of herself,” Melanie Hurwitz recalled in a recent interview. “She instilled in her children, and I tried to instill in mine, that everyone has a right to live, to take advantage of the opportunities around them.”
By the late 1980s, however, idealism had given way to despair. Between a regime that murdered even peaceful adversaries and a resistance movement sowing violent chaos in the townships, the Hurwitzes could no longer fathom raising children in South Africa. Sara’s father, Mervyn, a dentist, took a series of licensing exams in the United States, and in the autumn of 1989 the family moved to Florida. By the late 1980s, however, idealism had given way to despair. Between a government that murdered even peaceful adversaries and a resistance movement sowing violence in the townships, the Hurwitzes could no longer fathom raising children in South Africa. Sara’s father, Mervyn, a dentist, took a series of licensing exams in the United States, and in the autumn of 1989 the family moved to Florida.
Three months later, Nelson Mandela was released. Sara sat before the television as her parents cried with joy, and said to each other, if we knew he was going to be released, we never would’ve left.Three months later, Nelson Mandela was released. Sara sat before the television as her parents cried with joy, and said to each other, if we knew he was going to be released, we never would’ve left.
After beginning her education in an all-white Jewish religious school in South Africa, she found herself attending a public school in Florida with black and Hispanic classmates. She felt embarrassed by her accent and ancestry, and for a while she blamed her parents for their “complicity” in apartheid.After beginning her education in an all-white Jewish religious school in South Africa, she found herself attending a public school in Florida with black and Hispanic classmates. She felt embarrassed by her accent and ancestry, and for a while she blamed her parents for their “complicity” in apartheid.
Then, in 10th grade, she wrote a research paper on Mr. Mandela. For the first time, nearing adulthood, she grasped the South African system. “I had a deep sense of guilt,” she recalled. “I was part of apartheid. I had something to do with inequality and injustice. I was complicit.”Then, in 10th grade, she wrote a research paper on Mr. Mandela. For the first time, nearing adulthood, she grasped the South African system. “I had a deep sense of guilt,” she recalled. “I was part of apartheid. I had something to do with inequality and injustice. I was complicit.”
For that reason, she was especially moved by Mr. Mandela’s example of reconciliation and peaceful reform, by his principled refusal to take revenge. On visits back to South Africa, she made a point of walking past the now-president’s home, which was near that of her aunt Judy Moritz. For that reason, she was especially moved by Mr. Mandela’s example of reconciliation and peaceful reform, by his principled refusal to take revenge. On visits back to South Africa, she made a point of walking past Mr. Mandela’s home, which was near that of her aunt Judy Moritz.
Ms. Moritz, too, had a part in this story. She had introduced Sara as a young girl to Orthodox Judaism, and the love of it had flourished, though Rabba Hurwitz’s parents were relatively secular. Studying at Barnard and in Israel, cherishing Orthodoxy and yet pushing against the literal and figurative barrier between the sexes known as the mechitza, she took her inspiration from a black man of the Xhosa tribe. Ms. Moritz, too, had a part in this story. She introduced Sara as a young girl to Orthodox Judaism, and the love of it had flourished, though Rabba Hurwitz’s parents were relatively secular. Studying at Barnard and in Israel, cherishing Orthodoxy and yet pushing against the literal and figurative barrier between the sexes called the mechitza, she took her inspiration from a black man of the Xhosa tribe.
“I never had that ‘aha’ moment of wanting to be a rabbi,” Rabba Hurwitz said. “I had no role model. But I wanted to be part of a community and the Mandela model in my mind was of marching toward equality and justice and integrity. I was behind the mechitza, but I wasn’t angry. I just knew what I wanted to change and how I could make it happen.” “I never had that ‘aha’ moment of wanting to be a rabbi,” Rabba Hurwitz said. “I had no role model. But I wanted to be part of a community, and the Mandela model in my mind was of marching toward equality and justice and integrity. I was behind the mechitza, but I wasn’t angry. I just knew what I wanted to change and how I could make it happen.”

E-mail: sgf1@columbia.edu

E-mail: sgf1@columbia.edu