Update: Young Israel’s Female Problem

As an update to a story we posted last week, representatives of 18 Young Israel synagogues are trying to make their national organization ‘more transparent, accountable and responsive.’

from The Jewish Week:

Disaffected Synagogue Leaders Push For Change In Young Israel

A group of disaffected leaders of 18 Young Israel synagogues has begun soliciting support for constitutional changes that they say would make the National Council of Young Israel “more transparent, accountable and responsive to member branches.”

The action came in the wake of a June 24 conference call meeting of representatives from Young Israel’s 150 member synagogues.

An item originally on the agenda – to expel a Syracuse synagogue for refusing to pay dues and electing a woman president – was withdrawn shortly before the teleconference.

The group’s leaders reportedly refused repeated requests from delegates to discuss the removed agenda item. In addition, they are said to have refused to answer questions about the organization’s constitution or the ability of an affiliated synagogue to resign from the organization.