Jonah Metzger against Career

B"H

The Israeli ashkenazi chief Rabbi Jonah Metzger said that religious women should not consider a career and, therefore, just dump their kids at home. A woman is allowed to work but she has to know certain boundaries. She can support her husband but nothing beyond that. A women's role is raising the children and taking care of the household.

I am not a person going according to the chief rabbinate (Rabbanut) but rather go with Belz. I do not consider the rabbis from the Rabbanut as my rabbis and especially not the chief rabbis.

Of course, in Chassidut you probably do not find such different opinions regarding women. Many chassidic women do work and have a career (e.g. Chabad) and others work and do not consider a career. A woman from Satmar would not go for a career but every chassidic group and each woman has to decide it individually.

However, I do not agree with Rabbi Metzger's opinion that the family has to suffer from a career mother. In many cases women are able to do both; career and family. It depends on the woman and on the rest of the family. Furthermore, there are many women who are more capable of making a career rather than a man. Sometimes I feel that men talk like that out of jealousy. There are men who just cannot handle a woman being a little more intelligent and successful. This is especially the case in many Jewish orthodox societies.

Well, now all the male readers can claim the opposite. But if you look into psychology or sociology you will find out that many orthodox do agree with me.

Each family should manage their own lives. Career yes or no, people have a right to make their own decisions, and

Rabbi Metzger does not pay for their bills, food and rent. The income has to come from somewhere.