Episode 128: Orthodox Women Rabbis Crack the Stained-Glass Ceiling

In June 2025, the thirteenth cohort of Orthodox women rabbis graduates from Yeshivat Maharat, the first Orthodox yeshiva in North America dedicated to ordaining women. In this episode, we look at the status of the so-called stained-glass ceiling for Orthodox women rabbis as they seek pulpit positions, and we talk about the unique challenges for women’s leadership in the Orthodox movement. We speak with Rabbanit Leah Sarna, Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman, and Yeshivat Maharat’s founder and president, Rabba Sara Hurwitz.

This episode includes Tiny Putty from Blue Dot Sessions.

view transcript

You can find Can We Talk? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. We're also on YouTube! Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a new episode.

Love Can We Talk? Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. You can also drop us a line to let us know what you think or suggest ideas for future episodes. We just might read your email on the air!

Want even more Can We Talk? Sign up for our newsletter.

Released June 3, 2025

(From left) Rabbanit Leah Sarna, Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman, and Rabba Sara Hurwitz.
Rabbanit Leah Sarna. Photo courtesy of Leah Sarna.
Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman in her office at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD. Courtesy of Maharat Ruth Balinsky Friedman.
Courtesy of Yeshivat Maharat.
Students and teachers studying at Yeshivat Maharat, which trains Orthodox women as clergy. Courtesy of Yeshivat Maharat.