Interesting New Ruling

The article in the Jewish Week about the new ruling that allows women to breastfeed in the sanctuaries of Conservative Synagogues does not really affect me one way or the other. I am a big supporter of a woman's right to breastfeed her child, and have done so with all of my children, but obviously, the tzniut issues that come into play for an Orthodox woman are something that limited my doing it in public. My problem, however, was never with the act of breastfeeding per se. But even though I find the thought of a woman exposing herself to nurse, even discreetly, to be inappropriate in a synagogue, I am not a member of the Conservative movement, and therefore I have no opinion on whether a woman attending services in a Conservative Synagogue should be allowed to nurse there or not. So the article would not have stuck in my craw if not for the comments in the article by the Executive Director of the RCA Rabbi Basil Herring regarding the practice:

“The issue hasn’t come up,” said Rabbi Basil Herring. “In the Orthodox world there would be a general understanding that it would be best for the mother and baby to be following the traditional role of staying home. If she does come to synagogue, it would not be in the pews where she would be breast-feeding.”

Huh? Are you kidding me? He couldn't think of a better way to express that the Orthodox movement does not allow breastfeeding in their sanctuaries? He couldn't talk about the importance of a woman's modesty, or the distraction to others who are praying? He had to make it about a woman's place being the home? I'm sure he would have managed to alienate a whole slew of his constituents, if he had any, with his insensitive remarks. Luckily, he does not serve as a pulpit rabbi these days, so we are spared his special brand of inclusiveness.

Check out Miriam and Shanna's takes on this as well.