Mixed seating during services had long been a divisive issue in Cleveland's Jewish community. Disagreements over the issue not only caused splintering within congregations throughout the country, but led to numerous legal trials. Deemed by some congregations as a break with historic Judaism, the practice was often portrayed as a dividing line between "Conservative" and "Orthodox" traditions. Temple Beth-El, a Modern Orthodox congregation, both offered mixed seating and did not restrict its female membership from chanting the Haftorah portion of Torah services. In 1996, under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Moshe Adler, the congregation unanimously voted to allow women to be counted in the Minyan. | Source: Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical SocietyDownload Original File
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Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society
