President of Brandeis Hillel executive board Bryan Wexler '09 passed up the chance to correct a longstanding wrong. In an ongoing struggle, equalization has once again trumped the principle of a pluralistic environment. At the Hillel e-board meeting Thursday, Wexler announced that Brandeis Hillel would keep its policy forbidding women from leading the entire community in birkat hamazon, the blessing recited after meals, at Hillel events. Leading this blessing is one of the few ritual honors that Hillel dispenses to students.

In past years, some involved with Hillel expressed the desire to change the policy and allow women to lead. Last semester, the e-board discussed the issue in depth and even created a focus group for it but ended up tabling the issue until this semester.

This year, the issue publicly resurfaced after concerned students brought it up at the first Hillel general council meeting of the semester. The following week, Wexler, alone, decided to maintain the status quo. Wexler explained to the Justice that he consulted students and Hillel staff, as well as the minutes from relevant meetings, but in the end the decision was his.

Here's why there's even a problem: One interpretation of Jewish law dictates that only men can lead the blessing, while a different interpretation permits both men and women to do so.

Therefore, if only men lead the blessing, the group that believes women are entitled to lead is disenfranchised. But if women were to ever lead, the even larger group that firmly believes women cannot assume that religious role would be unhappy. The conflict is clear. Any policy concerning who can and cannot lead inevitably irritates one of the two camps.

At this point I should be able to point out that, luckily, Brandeis Hillel won't meddle in Jewish law. I should be able to confirm that Brandeis Hillel is in sync with the mission statement of its parent organization, Hillel International, which is "dedicated to creating a pluralistic, welcoming and inclusive environment."

I should be able to show that the Brandeis Hillel follows its own constitution by demonstrating "partisanship to none." And I should be able to say that to avoid any problem, students simply recite the blessing on a table-by-table basis, deciding on their own which interpretation to follow instead of having one person recite the blessing for an entire room of students.

But that's not how it is.

The Brandeis Hillel follows one religious view and ignores another. That isn't pluralism. That's pandering to one faction by use of a greatest common factor. Pluralism in Judaism is the acknowledgement and understanding of a range of Jewish beliefs and practices.

It's true that both views allow men to lead the prayer, but using that as a basis for policy is dangerous and infringes on the rights of individuals.

Hillel is not an organization that makes decisions of preference with regard to Jewish law. Wexler acknowledges that reality and does not claim to be making a law-based decision.

I admire Wexler's intentions. However, limiting the rights of individuals, especially when based solely on their sex, is a dangerous method for achieving cohesion.

By no means am I implying that religious assignment of roles based on sex is wrong. But the function of sex in Jewish ritual should not be at the discretion of Hillel. Unfortunately, it is. What does this say about Hillel's view of minority opinion?

More importantly, what are the implications for the treatment of minority rights? Voices may be heard, but needs are certainly not being met.

The current process allows for a voting majority, or even an executive leader, to simply cast aside dissenting opinion for the sake of unity at the high cost of individual rights. This is neither a healthy nor an acceptable structure for any organization to follow. Considering the tremendous influence that the Hillel has at this University, the current system must be fixed.

Equalization and pluralism don't make great bedfellows. The Brandeis Hillel, however, should hold steadfast to its principle. Brandeis has a vibrant Jewish community and Hillel needs to treasure and respect all of its diverse aspects. That is the true application of pluralism.

I am angered and saddened that Hillel will continue to prevent women from leading the community in birkat hamazon. It's the wrong decision. The Brandeis Hillel cannot and must not be so easily swayed from its core principles.