Rabbi Joseph Goldberg points to an essay about the sorry state of compensation for women who work in the field of Jewish education. While the sentiments are undoubtedly true, I think that we need to recognize that the problem is hardly unique to our community. The facts are that:
1. Women are paid less than men for similar work. This is true across all employment sectors.
2. Educators are taken less seriously than professionals in other areas of employment. While other professionals are rarely expected to donate their expertise free-of-charge, teachers are often expected to do so.
The confluence of these factors lead to the lamentable stories related in the article that was referred to. Of course women educators should be treated well when it comes to getting paid. So should all women. So should all educators.
(Rabbi) Yitzchak Jacobs
