I’m sure Leder is a qualified man but he’s already a respected leader and published author. The could have chosen a lesser known woman rabbi and given her a career boost.

Outcry after Women’s Day magazine appoints a ‘rabbi in residence’ and chooses a man

JTA — For health content, the women who edit Women’s Day turn to a panel of 25 experts — all but one of them women.

When it comes to fitness, food, nutrition and homemaking, the 91-year-old magazine for American women relies on women as well, according to its website.

Now, the magazine has appointed its first-ever rabbi in residence, for its prominent faith coverage — but it has not turned to the growing numbers of women in the American rabbinate.

Instead, the magazine announced Sunday that Steven Leder, senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, would hold the position. His columns about Jewish holidays and ideas will appear monthly.

The announcement, made on Instagram, immediately drew criticism from Jewish women who questioned why the magazine would elevate the voice of a male rabbi when there is no shortage of women rabbis who might want to speak to Woman’s Day readers.

“It feels to me that the role of women’s media, whether it’s traditional or progressive, should be — maybe it’s my dream — I would like it to be that it would uplift women’s voices,” said Rabbi Sari Laufer, who like Leder works at a Los Angeles synagogue, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Laufer was one of the first people to call attention to Woman’s Day’s announcement Sunday.

Leder told JTA that the position came about after Woman’s Day content director Meaghan B. Murphy read “The Beauty of What Remains,” his book about grief and loss inspired by one of his popular sermons. Murphy invited him onto her podcast last September.

“I really have to credit Meaghan for her open-mindedness and open-heartedness to present this to a readership that is mostly non-Jewish and represents mostly women and is not a place where you would expect to see a rabbi in residence with a monthly column,” Leder said.

Murphy declined to comment to JTA, and the magazine did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Woman’s Day, which began as a supermarket marketing circular in 1931, has described itself as seeking to appeal to women who consider themselves the “chief health officers” for their family. Unlike other women’s magazines that have sought to broaden their coverage or audiences in recent years, Woman’s Day has maintained a more traditional profile, offering recipes, homemaking tips and relationship advice.

Its faith section contains lists of Bible verses for various occasions, explainers about Jewish and Muslim holidays and recommendations of “movies, books and media for Christians.”

Leder rebuffed criticism of his appointment and said he believed there was value in having a male rabbi speak to Woman’s Day’s audience.

“Do we really only want women writing for women’s magazines? And do we really only want men writing for men’s magazines? Don’t we have anything to learn from each other?” Leder said.

He added, “I would hope that we can all see each other as people first. I think that’s the goal of every religious leader, is that we first recognize the humanity and equality in every human being. So I would hope that every reader is able to do that.”

Laufer said she thought readers could benefit from Leder’s contributions. But she also described how a push over the last several years in Jewish professional circles to elevate the voices of women and end the practice of “manels,” or panel discussions that include only men, had elicited commitments from many men to cede opportunities that should or even could go to women.

Murphy declined to comment to JTA, and the magazine did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Woman’s Day, which began as a supermarket marketing circular in 1931, has described itself as seeking to appeal to women who consider themselves the “chief health officers” for their family. Unlike other women’s magazines that have sought to broaden their coverage or audiences in recent years, Woman’s Day has maintained a more traditional profile, offering recipes, homemaking tips and relationship advice.

Its faith section contains lists of Bible verses for various occasions, explainers about Jewish and Muslim holidays and recommendations of “movies, books and media for Christians.”

Leder rebuffed criticism of his appointment and said he believed there was value in having a male rabbi speak to Woman’s Day’s audience.

“Do we really only want women writing for women’s magazines? And do we really only want men writing for men’s magazines? Don’t we have anything to learn from each other?” Leder said.

He added, “I would hope that we can all see each other as people first. I think that’s the goal of every religious leader, is that we first recognize the humanity and equality in every human being. So I would hope that every reader is able to do that.”

Laufer said she thought readers could benefit from Leder’s contributions. But she also described how a push over the last several years in Jewish professional circles to elevate the voices of women and end the practice of “manels,” or panel discussions that include only men, had elicited commitments from many men to cede opportunities that should or even could go to women.